UNFILTERED: Sue Coe, Nancy Robinson, and the Guerilla Girls

UnfilteredPostcardPlease join the Animal Rights Coalition at Instinct Art Gallery, 940 Nicollet Mall in Minneapolis on Saturday, February 20, 4:00 to 6:00 p.m. for vegan hors d’oeuvres, violin music, and mingling amidst the exhibition, UNFILTERED: Sue Coe, Nancy Robinson and the Guerrilla Girls. Instinct will be donating 10% from the sale of artwork during this event to the Animal Rights Coalition.

The UNFILTERED artists are activists across a range of issues including Animal Rights, Feminism, and Personal Identity, and Sue Coe is one of the foremost activist artists working today. She is known around the world for exposing human-inflicted tragedies. Her art is graphic and intense, and her topics include the atrocities of slaughterhouses, war, and imperialism.

These artists put themselves on the line to shape the world around them. They use different strategies and art forms, take aim at different aspects of our humanness, and present themselves in very different personas. What unites them is their bravery to be who they are in the face of what we, as a society, are. They are unrestrained voices in a sea of well-mannered voices.

Suggest ARC’s Vegan University for your Employee Health Fair

Chelsea and Ryan doing food sampling at a recent employee health fair

Chelsea and Ryan doing food sampling at a recent employee health fair

If your employer has an annual health fair, suggest ARC’s Vegan University as a vendor. Here’s a sample email you can use that resulted in ARC doing food sampling at a recent corporate health fair and also becoming a regular provider of literature on veganism to several personal trainers for their clients.

“Just saw an email about the upcoming health fair and wanted to suggest the organization I volunteer with for the fair. We have a program called Vegan University that promotes plant-based eating with food sampling and literature. We offer regular free grocery shopping tours at local co-ops and markets like Whole Foods, Byerly’s, and Rainbow, and regular free workshops about adopting a plant-based diet. We’ve been at several employee health fairs; for example, we had tables at the CIGNA and SGI employee health fairs, and regularly have booths at community events such as the Diabetes Expo and Healthy Life Expo.

We can do free plant-based food sampling. Items typically sampled include Beyond Meat Chicken-Free Strips (sold at mainstream grocery stores now), Primal Spirit Vegan Jerky, plant-based soy and almond milks, and vegan yogurt.

So am emailing to see if this would be of interest for the health fair. I’m sure you’re aware that there has been an explosion of interest in plant-based eating in the last several years, whether people are interested in reducing animal products in their diet for health reasons or in going vegan.”

Email chelsea@animalrightscoalition.com if your employer is interested in Vegan University being at their health fair.

Macaws Don’t Belong in a Car Wash

Macaws Don't Belong in a Car Wash4 out of 6 Paradise Car Washes in the Twin Cities surrounding areas keep a Macaw as a resident “pet”. The birds live at the Savage, Apple Valley, Eagan, and East Bloomington stores. Their names are Ruby, Peanut, Speedy, and Rainbow. According to employees, the birds are in the car wash 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, and have been for their entire lives.

Knowledgeable observers say the birds show signs of stress, exacerbated by being handled by the public (despite signs asking they not be handled) and by the exuberance of children and dogs who come into the car washes. Issues range from behaviors demonstrating depression to excessive feather plucking (sometimes down to bare skin). There appears to be little to no enrichment such as toys and activities provided.

Macaws live in their natural habitat for around 70 years, and they mate for life. These birds deserve a better life, and the companionship of others of their species.

Ask Paradise Car Wash to relinquish these birds to a qualified, expert rescue, and do not support this business until this occurs. Contact info for Paradise Car Wash locations: Savage (952) 890-7755, Eagan (651) 456-0000, Apple Valley (952) 431-4600, and East Bloomington (952) 888-5388. Please like and share the Facebook page for these birds.

Feed People Without Harming Animals: Say No to Farmed Animal Gifting

AWFWDuring the holiday season, popular gifts sometimes include donations to hunger relief programs that send live animals as gifts to be used for food. Learn how these programs harm not only animals, but often the families and communities they’re intended to help.

A Well-Fed World’s PLANTS-4-HUNGER program provides a more compassionate and nutritious gift-giving alternative, sending 100% of your gift to four hand-picked plant-based programs that feed people without using animals.

The four projects support vegan school lunch programs in Ethiopia, provide non-GMO soybeans to farming families in Guatemala, deliver warm meals to those most in need in India, and plant community food gardens in the United States. These programs provide both immediate assistance and long-term community solutions to improve food security and nutrition.

Animal Friendly Holiday Events

Holiday Vegan CookiesJoin ARC at one of our tastiest events, the Annual Holiday Cookie Exchange. This is a great opportunity to find new recipes or get goodies to feed holiday guests. To participate, bake 4 dozen of one type of vegan cookie (vegan means no dairy, eggs, butter, or other animal products). Bring a copy of your recipe or email it to chelsea@animalrightscoalition.com. RSVP at Vegan Meetup or the Facebook event page. Event is at 317 W 48th St. on Saturday, 12/12 from 12-2 p.m.

Also this weekend is the ARC North Vegans Holiday Potluck on Sunday, 12/13 from 3:30-6:00 p.m. at the Parkway United Church of Christ Community Room, 3120 Washburn Ave. N in Minneapolis. RSVP at Vegan Meetup or the Facebook event page.

Note that the ARC office and Ethique Nouveau, our 100% all vegan store, will have special holiday hours in addition to our regular hours (Wednesday noon-8, Thursday and Friday noon-6, and Saturday noon-5). We will also be open Sundays on December 13 and 20 from 11-3. And we will be open on Monday, December 21 and Tuesday, December 22 from 1-6.

Huffington Post Covers ARC’s Cuddle Coats Program

Bobcat kittenThe Huffington Post did a great story about ARC’s Cuddle Coats program on November 25. Cuddle Coats committee chair Alexandra Beane was interviewed about how Cuddle Coats is a way to give fur back to the animals. Read all about how donated furs are turned into a source of comfort for orphaned and injured animals. We’ve received a ton of furs since the article, but we also have over 60 wildlife rehabs we supply with those furs. Consider coming to a Cuddle Coats prep session, held every Wednesday evening from 6:00-7:00 at the ARC office/Ethique Nouveau vegan boutique at 317 W 48th St. in Minneapolis. We will be prepping donated fur coats and accessories for shipment to wildlife rehabilitation centers by removing all buttons, zippers, liners, etc. All are welcome! This is a great, low-key, low-commitment way to volunteer for a little while and meet some of the other people in the group, while doing something concrete to save animal lives.

Thank you to Wildlife Rescue & Rehabilitation, Inc. in Texas for sharing this adorable photo of a bobcat kitten snuggled up in Cuddle Coats donated furs!

Protest Ribnick Fur and the Shrine Circus

10455357_1686977784871052_7836482420571614_nDo you want to stop the cruelty to animals inherent in the fur industry and the circus?

 
 
 
 
 
 

Join us for a full weekend of protest, starting on Fur Free Friday (11/27) from 9:30-11:30 a.m. at Ribnick Fur & Leather, 224 N 1st St. in Minneapolis. Then continue at the Target Center, 600 1st Ave. N in Minneapolis to protest the Zuhrah Shrine Circus with the first protest at 12:45 to 1:30 p.m.

These events are being organized by the Animal Rights Coalition and Minnesota Animal Liberation.

PLEASE COME OUT! All materials will be provided, but feel free to bring your own message to Ribnick Fur and the Shrine Circus.

See entire circus protest schedule here: https://www.facebook.com/events/167545916923130/

Thanks for a Successful Give to the Max Day!

GTTM Thank You

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Thanks to many generous donors, including many of you who also volunteer your time, and to everyone who shared or liked our posts, we came in well over last year for funds raised on Give to the Max Day to continue our work to help animals! This included contributions from nearly 40 brand new donors who committed to helping animals!

It’s moments like this when so many members of the community come together to take action that prove our power to incite change.

You are amazing.

With love and gratitude,
ARC Staff and Board of Directors