No More Dead Piles: Kings County Protest and Vigil

Join us as we ask Kings County to take action regarding the illegal dead pile and criminal animal cruelty at Vera Goat Dairy then proceed to public property near the farm for a vigil to honor the lives lost there. We'll meet at Berkeley Animal Rights Center (2414 Sixth St, Berkeley) to carpool at 9am and depart at 9:15am sharp!

Through drone videography, DxE investigators discovered a mass graveyard of dead goats at Vera Goat Dairy in early 2025. Repeated visits showed it was not a singular event. Large numbers of goats were routinely being dumped in the dead pile in violation of state water protection regulations.

In fact, investigators soon learned this illegal dumping of animals has been happening for years. Vera Goat Dairy, which was formerly called Milk Flow Dairy, was cited by the Central Valley Regional Water Quality Control Board (RWQCB) in 2021 for illegally disposing of dead animals on site. DxE's latest investigation shows the violations are continuing, and the authorities are failing to protect the environment or the animals -- despite literal mounds of evidence.

DxE repeatedly documented and reported the graveyard of goats, including covered dirt mounds filled with the bones of these deceased animals.

DxE investigators commenced a months-long investigation to find out why such huge numbers of mother and baby goats were dying or being killed at this supposedly "Certified Humane" farm.

This is what they found:

Frequent coughing and sneezing among the animals in the barns
Goats with engorged and distended teats, an indication of potential mastitis infections

Necropsy testing of two deceased goats from the dead pile found both had suffered from coccidia parasites and "marked emaciation with no fat reserves" and muscle atrophy. These results suggest that these animals may have starved to death. One of the babies had a severe respiratory infection, bacterial bronchopneumonia, most likely caused by Escherichia coli bacteria. The large quantity of thick foam found in this same goat’s trachea suggests that asphyxiation may have been her immediate cause of death.

Cows from a neighboring facility were documented grazing on top of a recently covered dead pile and dogs were documented eating the bodies in the dead pile, putting these animals at risk of contracting or spreading disease from the deceased goats.

Hidden-camera footage from the birthing pen shows workers handling animals roughly, including lifting up a mother goat by her neck and tail area to throw her into a trailer

DxE investigators saved Sarah from a mother's worst nightmare.

During the course of the investigation, two DxE investigators rescued a sick mother goat and her baby who was attempting to nurse but was unable to due to the mother's distended and inflamed udders, as well as a second baby who was lethargic and in a state of respiratory distress with nasal discharge. The mother, whom rescuers named Sarah, and the second baby, named Castiel, were both found to have pneumonia and received medical treatment. Sarah got pain medication for her inflamed udders and both babies were able to nurse from her.

But little Castiel was not doing well. He had a high fever and was still quite lethargic even on medication. For weeks, he had to be bottle-fed and carefully monitored until finally, he beat his infection.
Now, Sarah, Johnny, and Castiel are healthy, safe, and free to frolic through flowers and climb over rocks and hills.
Every animal deserves the same freedom and care.

But the goats at Meyenberg's Vera Goat Dairy are living a nightmare. Many of the mother goats, already in pain themselves, must watch their sick babies suffer, unable to do anything to help. Eventually, many of these babies will end up in a mass grave. But the mothers will get no reprieve. They will once again be impregnated and carry new babies to term, stuck in a cycle of violence -- all so that their bodies keep producing milk for Whole Foods to market as "humane" and sell to deceived customers.

The cycle of violence must end. We're calling on Kings County Animal Services and the RWQCB to shut down Meyenberg's goat graveyard.
Please join us in speaking up for the mother and baby goats at Meyenberg's Vera Goat Dairy. Sign the petition at [dxe.io/helpthegoats](https://l.facebook.com/l.php?u=http%3A%2F%2Fdxe.io%2Fhelpthegoats%3Ffbclid%3DIwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTAAYnJpZBExM3BlMkpMczdpMlE1VDluSgEe11f574v_WD6dBbqGIYm3VVspbTDbeksnTmGiZsZBPZGiNB5YYvNwyo5M9lc_aem_TVGE9HfsVzgSIK83hghKVA&h=AT2EhlnRoZLQrqOhZ8OPNmuVZcxh02psskBf6a6kKb4RggWi56hEGGQz5pQGXqo4xCVL7a3TEcDXi8z4J-nhC-cWEpn-X-xwd9eM_Fh3yM6gK-Pv9mQM7Ce7HcnSjtVudEMJLIA7fzfWc5pSRAphVohDzpe2a6yI&tn=q&c%5B0%5D=AT3MbaSL3XVfbgUGQMSWncWcLxKBHoqtquF7UkZt1nq2MCs7td-lDz4PiST4GdW_gfFk-gODYoytzFvE4WkgPEcKriX3UTPInPgsDF4rHWcugmJk5BA_r_aJmmJSJpN0u5zL5uT0rBfN52Jw2KMmChKmBifY7h8sjOg9Vw) to shut down the goat graveyard at Vera Goat Dairy.

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WHERE: 350 W Bush St, Lemoore, CA 93245
WHEN: Tuesday, July 15th, 12:30pm
WEAR: Whatever you like if it can protect you from sun.
WHO: Everyone is welcome! However, please do not come if you have or recently had symptoms of or exposure to COVID-19.
ACCESSIBILITY: Some standing, we’ll have a couple chairs on hand in case any needs to rest.

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Direct Action Everywhere (DxE) is a grassroots network of animal rights activists. Through open rescue, demonstration, and disruption, we help build a world where every animal is safe, happy and free.
DxE cultivates a welcoming and supportive community. We ask that all those who attend our events (online and offline) respect our Code of Conduct which can be reviewed at [dxe.io/conduct](https://l.facebook.com/l.php?u=http%3A%2F%2Fdxe.io%2Fconduct%3Ffbclid%3DIwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTAAYnJpZBExM3BlMkpMczdpMlE1VDluSgEe-EuCcRu9zNjULcZ0RKD7LpkyS16IFdCR9nzeg4jIenDDjIzYCV8A2H-bNTQ_aem_nPkdsCsZCZYgTG09VMM9Ng&h=AT0SgNxUIwPlCZBghD-UfnQHPBwsRwJKxLwM-nAqNzlXuea6_FWlgj-8p0U0uOq07oxCgJVF7u7yzetYkr4eUnKP9SvInPk9iY-44q7xH2P-R92rCbYr9lfVPFWBKYgQBXkd-5Fq4xzWs7ooIi56GHgMzoOwImyz&tn=q&c%5B0%5D=AT3MbaSL3XVfbgUGQMSWncWcLxKBHoqtquF7UkZt1nq2MCs7td-lDz4PiST4GdW_gfFk-gODYoytzFvE4WkgPEcKriX3UTPInPgsDF4rHWcugmJk5BA_r_aJmmJSJpN0u5zL5uT0rBfN52Jw2KMmChKmBifY7h8sjOg9Vw).

To learn about our vision, goals, strategy and more check out the San Francisco Bay Area chapter Activist Handbook here: dxe.io/handbook