Compassionate Action for Animals

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.^[1] 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 ^[2]

Location

CAA has an office in the Whittier Neighborhood at 2100 First Ave South, Suite 200, Minneapolis, MN 55404.

References

^ "Advocates for animals turn attention to chickens", New York Times, 4 December 2002. Retrieved 28 March 2008. ^{[dead link]}
^ Amber Schadewald, "Veg Week encourages meatless diets", Minnesota Daily, 4 October 2006. Archived 30 September 2007 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 6 August 2007

External links

[1] "Advocates for animals turn attention to chickens", New York Times, 4 December 2002. Retrieved 28 March 2008. ^{[dead link]}

[2] Amber Schadewald, "Veg Week encourages meatless diets", Minnesota Daily, 4 October 2006. Archived 30 September 2007 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 6 August 2007

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