Join us in ending cruelty and promoting compassion for all animals.
Welcome to Chicago Alliance for Animals
Chicago Alliance for Animals (CAA) is a grassroots, all-volunteer organization committed to ending animal exploitation through peaceful advocacy, education, and community action.
We believe every animal deserves respect, protection, and freedom from harm — and we work every day to make that a reality.
From Daily Easy Actions (DEAs), to impactful campaigns, CAA empowers compassionate citizens to speak up, and create lasting change for animals-- across Chicago and beyond.
WHO & WHY
Dozens of cities —including Los Angeles, San Francisco, and New York City—have already banned fur sales. Chicago can be next. The vast majority of fashion designers have ditched fur, and major retailers like Macy’s and Nordstrom no longer sell it. Compassion is in style—but Chicago still allows new fur to be sold in stores. We don’t need fur, but animals need their lives.
➡️ Spur belongs in a sanctuary, not behind glass. It’s time to give her the freedom and care she deserves.
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Spur is an African Sulcata tortoise.
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She has been confined for 35 years in a hard, tile enclosure.
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She is likely to outlive her owner, as Sulcata tortoises can live for 50-150 years.
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Her enclosure is only roughly 4x her body size.
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In the wild, Sulcata tortoises roam miles each day and night.
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Spur is kept on hard tile, with nowhere to dig or burrow—a natural behavior for her species, which typically dig 10–30 feet or more underground.
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Spur is constantly trying to escape her enclosure.
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She was likely stolen from her natural home in Africa—a victim of the exotic animal trade.
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Meanwhile, baby Sulcata tortoises (likely hers) are still sold at The Animal Store, continuing the cycle of captivity and suffering.
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Spur is not for sale, but used as a window display prop, exposed to Chicago’s harsh, erratic weather, noise, and light pollution year-round.
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The Village of Lincolnwood opted out of Cook County’s humane pet store ordinance, which bans the sale of wildlife— they have the power to stop this.
Wild Animals in Pet Stores? Lincolnwood Can Do Better
➡️ Wild animals aren’t pets or exhibits—wild is wild. It’s time to end wildlife sales in Lincolnwood and beyond and build truly humane communities.
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The Animal Store has a long history of selling wild, non-domesticated animals like sugar gliders, macaws, sulcatas, and chinchillas.
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These animals are bred and sold for profit, and confined in tiny cages, which leads to psychological distress, abnormal behaviors, and lifelong suffering.
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Wild animals are doomed to go from one cage to another—from storefronts to homes unfit for their needs, or eventually sick or abandoned.
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Wild is wild—no matter how young they’re sold or how tame they seem, wild animals do not belong in cages.
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Often labeled as “exotic pets,” they are marketed to unprepared customers who are rarely told the full truth about the complex, lifelong care these animals require.
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Many are dumped when the novelty wears off or care becomes too difficult.
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The Village of Lincolnwood waived Cook County’s humane pet store ordinance, which prohibits the sale of wildlife—but they have the power to put this back on the agenda, and end this cruelty.
Rabbits in Pet Stores: Irresponsibly Bred, Sold as Easter Novelties, Then abandoned as Shelters Overflow
➡️ It’s time to ban rabbit sales. Shelters and rescues are full of animals waiting for homes—we don’t need more bred to suffer.
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Rabbits at The Animal Store are bred for profit and treated as products instead of sentient beings.
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Many are sold around Easter or marketed as “starter pets,” but rabbits are complex, sensitive animals who require specialized care.
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Once the novelty wears off, most rabbits sold in pet stores end up neglected, isolated, and confined to cages for hours each day.
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Many are mishandled or even tormented by children.
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Many rabbits sold in pet stores are already ill when purchased, highlighting the poor conditions and lack of proper veterinary care in breeding and retail facilities.
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Rabbits are often mis-sexed or misgendered, which can lead to accidental litters and more animals in need of homes. Some are already pregnant when sold—further proof of reckless and inhumane breeding practices.
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Those who are later abandoned or “dumped” outside often suffer from worms, injuries, or exposure, with no protection and no ability to defend themselves.
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Rescues and shelters are overwhelmed with abandoned rabbits and other small animals-- while more are bred and sold down the block.
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Confined to cages without stimulation or space, rabbits suffer deeply, often developing depression or aggression from their inability to express natural behaviors.
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Like other animals in pet stores, they’re doomed to go from one cage to another—never experiencing freedom.
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The Village of Lincolnwood waived Cook County’s humane ordinance, which prohibits the sale of rabbits—but they can still choose compassion and stop this cycle of cruelty.
➡️ Tell officials: Move Rocky to a true sanctuary and end the public display of wild animals.
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Rocky is a wild coyote held alone in a small enclosure at the River Trail Nature Center in Northbrook, IL — after being “mistaken for a dog.”
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Coyotes are intelligent, social, and highly active animals who don’t belong in cages. In the wild, they roam miles each day, forming close family bonds and engaging in complex behaviors.
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Rocky lives in isolation, pacing in a small enclosure, deprived of everything natural to him. He’s been stripped of his freedom.
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Wildlife experts agree: long-term solitary confinement causes mental and emotional distress in wild animals. This is not education—it’s exploitation. This is not rescue—it’s lifelong captivity for a wild animal who committed no crime.
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If Rocky cannot safely be released into the wild, he deserves a true sanctuary—or at the very least, a coyote companion and an enriched environment that meets his needs.
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Wild animals are not tourist attractions. The public is ready for compassionate alternatives—humane education that respects wildlife without imprisoning them.
➡️ It’s time for Chicago to ban new fur—align our city’s laws with our values of compassion, progress, and justice for all species.
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Fur is cruel, outdated, and unnecessary. Animals used for fur—like foxes, minks, raccoons, and chinchillas—are often confined in tiny wire cages, denied everything natural, and killed in horrific ways.
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The fur industry uses anal electrocution, neck-breaking, and gassing—all to preserve pelts for fashion. There is no humane way to kill someone who doesn’t want to die.
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Fake labels like “ethically sourced” or “byproduct fur” are misleading. No animal willingly gives up their skin.
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Fur farms also pollute local air and water, harm nearby communities, and serve as breeding grounds for zoonotic disease.
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Dozens of cities—including Los Angeles, San Francisco, and New York City—have already banned fur sales. Chicago can be next.
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The vast majority of fashion designers have ditched fur, and major retailers like Macy’s and Nordstrom no longer sell it.
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Compassion is in style—but Chicago still allows new fur to be sold in stores.
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We don’t need fur, but animals need their lives.
End Steer-Tailing in Illinois — Stop Cruelty for Sport
➡️ Tell Illinois lawmakers: Ban steer-tailing now. Bulls deserve protection—not pain.
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Bulls in Boone County, IL, are subjected to steer-tailing, where riders yank their tails until hair is ripped out or tails break.
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This causes severe pain, permanent injuries, and long-term trauma, including potential spine damage and behavioral issues like fear, aggression, or withdrawal.
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Steer-tailing is animal abuse disguised as entertainment; bulls are sentient animals, not willing participants.
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The practice causes extreme stress and panic, seriously affecting the animals’ overall health.
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Veterinarians and animal welfare experts condemn steer-tailing, and several countries have already banned it.
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Illinois has strong humane laws, but a loophole still allows this cruel practice.
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Public opinion favors banning cruel animal entertainment, and compassionate communities do not allow cruelty for fun.
Animals are granted very few rights. it's our responsibility to protect those that exist.
Partners in Activism
At Chicago Alliance for Animals, we know real change happens when we work together.. That’s why we partner with like-minded groups and leaders to end animal exploitation and promote compassion—amplifying our voice and impact for animals.
