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Shuttered Petaluma Slaughterhouse Reopens Under New Management, Amid Protests

PETALUMA (KPIX 5) - A Sonoma County slaughterhouse accused of processing sick cows reopened it's doors under new management Monday, but not without vocal protests.

Marin Sun Farms took over the now defunct Rancho Feeding Corporation in Petaluma, opening for the first time this morning.

The old slaughterhouse, Rancho Feeding Corporation, went out of business following federal charges the plant was processing sick animals, possibly for as long as a year. The US Department of Agriculture (USDA) even alleges that they were sneaking diseased animals behind the backs of inspectors.

Shuttered Petaluma Slaughterhouse Reopens Under New Management, Amid Protests

Several people came out to protest the reopening, some wearing aprons soaked in imitation blood.

Deborah Claassen said she's been monitoring the Ranchero slaughterhouse for years.

"We were really excited to get this slaughterhouse out of our neighborhood," said Claassen, a vegan who came to protest the reopening Monday. "We're just showing people that it's blood bath in there. It's violent and they're killing living, sentient beings."

Rancho Feeding Corporation strongly denies the allegations it tried pulling a fast one on the USDA, even telling the Press Democrat newspaper back in February, "they did nothing wrong."

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