Is animal sacrifice legal, under the guise of Santeria, in California?

Unfortunately for the chickens, ducks, and goats that seem to be the victims of this barbarism, if practiced according to state codes regarding animal slaughter, there seems to be no modification of the ruling allowing this "free exercise of religion" since the Supreme Court protected it back in 1993.

Disclaimer: Please note that this answer does not constitute legal advice, and should not be relied on, since each state has different laws, each situation is fact specific, and it is impossible to evaluate a legal problem without a comprehensive consultation and review of all the facts and documents at issue. This answer does not create an attorney-client relationship.

Ms. Koslyn is correct, but you would also need to check your city's codes regarding the sacrifice of animals as well, since if there is a prohibition against any slaughter of animals within the city limits, the practice may be banned.

In Butte County, it is not only legal, but recognized as a legitimate expense for a victim of a crime.

Several years ago, a young man was convicted of a civil rights violation for a racially-motivated assault. The court ordered the defendant to pay $1,824.30 in costs incurred by one the victims for a religious healing ceremony that involved the sacrifice of a pig, two goats and several chickens. The California Court of Appeal ruled that the judge made a proper restitution order. People v. Keichler (2005) 129 Cal.App.4th 1039

I am somewhat shocked by Ms. Koslyn's religious intolerance, dismissing the rituals of other religions as "barbarism." Many religious texts, including the Bible, contain many stories of animal sacrifices.