ARC In Action meetings are held on the second Saturday of the month
from 10 to 11 am. at our office at 2615 E. Franklin Ave. in Minneapolis.
Everyone is welcome - you don't have to be a member to attend.
Circle
of Compassion (ARC blog)
ARC
on MySpace
Chicken
Run Rescue
fast & furless
vegan emporium
HumaneMyth.org
Rhymes With Vegan
If an animal's life is in immediate danger, please call 911. Read this
section for more information.
If you can no longer keep your companion animal and need to find a home
for him or her, please read the information in this section.
Movin' On Up (and
Over)!
After 20 years in the Uptown area of Minneapolis, ARC has moved to "veg
central": the Seward neighborhood in southeast Minneapolis.
You'll find us at 2615 E. Franklin Ave. We're thrilled to be sharing storefront space with fast & furless vegan emporium whose philosopy is: "We believe respecting animals and the environment by not wearing products harmful to them is the very essence of 'fashionable'."
In addition to all the great cruelty-free products for sale, the storefront features a reading area with comfy chairs and current animal rights literature and magazines, and a revolving gallery of work by local animal-friendly artists. We're excited to join the vibrant and diverse Seward neighborhood and we hope you'll come down and check us out.
Our Mission Statement
The Animal Rights Coalition is dedicated to ending the suffering,
abuse, and exploitation of non-human animals through information, education,
and advocacy.
The Past ... and
the Future
The Animal Rights Coalition is the oldest and most successful animal
rights organization in Minnesota, with over a quarter century of helping
animals. ARC was founded in 1980 and formally incorporated in 1981. ARC's
membership has grown over the years and it continues to be a locally and
nationally recognized voice for animal rights in Minnesota.
During ARC's first decade, the organization focused on national efforts including national conferences held in Minnesota with internationally known speakers and participants.
ARC’s second decade saw many successful campaigns such as stopping the University of Minnesota Medical School from using live dogs in cardiology laboratory exercises and persuading the Animal Humane Society in Golden Valley to discontinue using a gas chamber for euthanasia. ARC successfully sued the University of Minnesota for access to records concerning the use of animals in research. Support by ARC members led at least one local school district to recognize students’ rights to non-animal alternatives to dissection. The national controversy over the Make-A-Wish Foundation granting a bear-hunting trip began when ARC formally voiced opposition and led to a ban on such trips.
In its third decade ARC is focusing on spreading the word about compassionate living. We believe we can continue to achieve our goals through practicing non-violence and compassion for all (including the human animal) and that positive change comes about from connection, communication, and education. We are not here to win some imaginary battle to prove that “we are good and they are bad,” but to peacefully organize and form alliances to create positive change.
Our current programs include:
Community Outreach
Community outreach activities vary from booths at large community
events and professionnal conferences such as the Twin Cities Pet Expo,
May Day Festival, Living Green Expo, GLBT Pride Festival, and Education
Minnesota Professional Conference, to leafletting at events such as the
American Veterinary Medical Association national conference, to assisting
the hundreds of individuals who call or email us looking for help with
issues related to animals.
Children's Programs
Compassionate Kids workshops help kids develop compassion and empathy
while empowering them to take action for animals in their own communities.
With presentations at schools, community events, and scout troops this
program has met with glowing reviews from kids, parents, and teachers.
All About Animals is a collaborative effort between ARC and Pet Haven to teach kids how to behave around animals so everyone has fun. ARC is working to expand this program to local schools and preschools as well as other children's groups.
VegKins is a unique social networking program for families raising vegetarian/vegan children. This program is designed for families with children five years old and under and offers them the opportunity to come together to discuss how they incorporate compassionate eating into their lives.
The Wonders of Wildlife: In collaboration with Wildlife Rehabilitation
and Release, ARC has developed Wildlife Workshops for kids to learn about
respecting wild animals and their habitats. Cuddle Coats is a complementary
project where people can donate fur coats to aid orphaned baby wildlife
in their recovery.
ARC Speaker Series
The ARC Speaker Series regularly brings in nationally known speakers such
as Dr. Michael Fox, Harold "Farmer" Brown, Karen Davis, and
pattrice jones.
Book Signings
ARC has hosted book signings with authors Peter Young, pattrice jones,
Hillary Rettig, Karen Dawn, and Gene Baur. More book signings are planned
as this is a fun, informal way to introduce the public to new ways of
thinking about animals and the world we share with them.
Comassionate Eating
Rhymes With Vegan: ARC has teamed up with local vegan chef Megan
Holtgrewe to sponsor her new cooking show "Rhymes with Vegan."
ARC is also partnering with Megan on a "Rhymes with Vegan" cookbook
and plans are in the works to offer cooking classes to introduce the public
to the delights of compassionate eating.
Vegan Backyard BBQ Kit will help you introduce your family and friends to delicious vegan food. We've put together everything you need to encourage people to try vegan cuisine in a relaxed, informal atmosphere. Kits include postcard invitations, a suggested menu, vouchers for free vegan products to serve, coupons for vegan products for guests, information on vegan eating to share with guests, and much more.
Humane Farming Myth Campaign
ARC's "Humane Farming Myth" brochure challenges the myth of
"humanely" produced animal products and is a compelling resource
to share with family and friends.
501(c)(3) Status
The Animal Rights Coalition is a 501(c)(3) non-profit tax-exempt organization.
Donations to ARC are tax deductible.
Pound
seizure is the sale of cats and dogs from a pound or shelter to research
labs. Only two states, Minnesota and Utah, still have laws requiring that
publicly funded pounds and shelters turn over unclaimed animals for research.
The ultimate fate of these former companion animals is death. But before they die, they may suffer greatly. Visit Minnesota's Shame and Ban Pound Seizure to find out more.
Petting
zoos at malls and fairs allow children to feed, ride, or have their pictures
taken with the animals. Children who visit petting zoos often bring home
much more than their parents bargained for as petting zoos are notorious
for infecting children with potentially lethal bacteria such as E.
coli and salmonella. Click here
for a fact sheet with more details on petting zoos.
Hearing
a lot about violence in schools? You can do something to help: Cut out
dissection! Every year, millions of animals are killed and shipped off
to schools, where young people are given scalpels and told to slice up
the animals’ bodies. What does dissection teach? Not much, except
that it’s OK to chop up animals.
Contact ARC for advice on how to object to dissection at your school. Or call the toll-free Dissection Hotline for information and support for students, parents and teachers who object to dissection.
