Across the state of California, ordinary people are taking bold action for animals. From flying drones over factory farms to holding slaughterhouse vigils and protesting corporations, the animal rights movement in the state is growing in size, skills, and confidence. It’s all part of our campaign to build a grassroots network to end factory farming in California and achieve revolutionary social and political change for animals in one generation.

Throughout DxE’s history, we’ve focused heavily on global growth and then heavily on hyper-local growth. Both have presented numerous challenges. A global focus makes coordination difficult, and it’s nearly impossible to exert political power and develop a shared campaign that works across multiple continents and cultural contexts. A hyper-local focus has reduced our opportunities for growth (our East Bay community continues to hover around Dunbar’s number) and for campaigns that bring us to the heart of animal agriculture. This year, we aim to find the sweet spot by focusing on California. 

California is culturally and economically significant and has always been on the forefront of change, including for animals. California was the first state in the country to ban the sale of fur and passed Proposition 12, arguably the nation’s strongest animal welfare law. DxE has already investigated dozens of California’s largest factory farms and slaughterhouses, and we have a long history of bold actions and victories across the state. Moreover, California is large enough to offer significant opportunities for growth, but small enough for chapters to share goals and a cultural context and to operate under the same political apparatus. Plus, we have an open governor’s race in 2026, and a current governor that seems poised to run for president in 2028. For all these reasons, California is the perfect place to make revolutionary social and political change for animals. 

We have already begun to develop a large, trained, and coordinated network of chapters across the state, and to create a factory farm map and resource guide that will become the go-to source for information about industrialized animal agriculture in California. We are building the power to influence corporations and legislators and becoming ready to mobilize and seize on any trigger moments that occur, ensuring our message is present in political and social conversations everywhere.

The animal rights movement can become a force to be reckoned with in California, but it needs people like you. The best time to start taking action for animals is now. 

• Sign up to join our network at dxe.io/join 
• Attend the Animal Liberation Conference from May 23rd-May 27th 
• Join the Perdue Action Team to take online actions to disrupt Petaluma Poultry, Perdue’s California subsidiary