The activist facing jail for rescuing a sick goat from a meat farm

Wayne Hsiung's trial on theft and trespass charges could set a legal precedent for the right to rescue' agricultural livestock

On a rainy night in February, 2018, animal rights activist Wayne Hsiung sneaked into a small scale North Carolina farm and, depending on your perspective, either stole or rescued a baby goat. The maneuver was highly risky - on a live stream, Hsiung tells his audience what awaits: an electric fence, barking dogs and armed security guards, according to the farm's website.

Undeterred, Hsiung and his co-conspirators filled their pockets with dog treats and broke into the Sospiro farm, owned by farmer Curtis Burnside.