Farmers who allegedly left hens to starve charged | News

TURLOCK, Calif. (AP) - Animal welfare advocates are celebrating a decision by California prosecutors to charge two poultry farmers accused of leaving 50,000 hens to starve.  

Andy Cheung and Lien Diep were arraigned on felony animal cruelty charges in Stanislaus County Superior Court on Monday. They face up to three years in prison and $20,000 in fines under California penal codes that make it a crime to deprive animals of food and water in a way that inflicts "needless suffering" or cruelty.  

At the time animal welfare workers found the abandoned hens at A&L Poultry near Turlock a year ago, they said the birds had not been fed for two weeks. 

More than 20,000 were already dead and 25,000 were euthanized. The remaining went to a sanctuary. 

The defendants' attorney did not immediately return a call seeking comment.