Compassionate Action for Animals

{{Short description|US nonprofit organization}}

Compassionate Action for Animals (CAA) is a Minneapolis-based animal advocacy non-profit focused on raising awareness on factory farming and promoting vegetarianism and veganism.

History

CAA was formed in early 1998 in order to pursue "strategic nonviolence" as a path towards animal rights. This is a strategy based on the principles of non-violent action defined by Gene Sharp. These principles of strategic non-violence are reflected in CAA's current core values.

The name Compassionate Action for Animals was adopted in May 1998. In June 1999, CAA became a 501(c)3 non-profit organization after merging with the Animal Liberation League, another local animal rights organization with a very similar approach and philosophy.

In 1999, CAA began working on its Ban Battery Cages campaign, which culminated in the open rescue of over ten egg-laying hens from a battery cage facility, the first such rescue in the US.[https://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9D06E2DB173BF937A35751C1A9649C8B63 "Advocates for animals turn attention to chickens"], New York Times, 4 December 2002. Retrieved 28 March 2008. {{dead link|date=February 2020}} CAA's investigation and rescue campaign was based on a similar campaign which was first done by Animal Liberation Victoria in Australia.

CAA is active as a student group at the University of Minnesota, Twin Cities campus, as well as at the Macalester College campus and in the larger Minneapolis-Saint Paul area. Its focus is on outreach, education and community-building events.

Activities and campaigns

  • Outreach through tabling, leafleting, postering, pay-per-view video outreach, literature stands, writing letters and articles for publications, and more.
  • Working with community restaurants and university cafeterias to make vegetarian and vegan dining more convenient and available.
  • Organizing Twin Cities VegFest, an annual festival gathering together vegan and vegan-friendly vendors, animal advocacy organizations, speakers, cooking demos, and other programming.
  • Organizing the Twin Cities Vegan Chef Challenge, a month-long restaurant contest where participants rate vegan dishes.
  • Social events such as potlucks, movies, game nights and dine-outs.
  • Food giveaways to show how delicious vegetarian and vegan food is.
  • Hosting speakers who address animal, ethical and health issues Amber Schadewald, [http://www.mndaily.com/articles/2006/10/04/69241 "Veg Week encourages meatless diets"], Minnesota Daily, 4 October 2006. {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070930201105/http://www.mndaily.com/articles/2006/10/04/69241 |date=30 September 2007 }}. Retrieved 6 August 2007

Location

CAA has an office in the Sheridan Neighborhood at 34 13th Ave NE #108, Minneapolis, MN 55413.

References

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