In the News

Get to Know Us

CAA is an unstoppable and effective force, even though we have no salaries, office, employees, benefits, etc. We have many goals that will keep us very busy, including banning horse carriages around the world. The Partnership to Ban Horse Carriages Worldwide (CAA’s sister organization) now has multiple active chapters including Atlanta (GA), Boston (MA), Cape May (NJ), Charlotte (NC), Charleston (SC), Lexington (KY), New Orleans (LA), Philadelphia (PA) and Savannah (GA) and we are also working closely with our allies in the Niagara region of Canada to ban them there. In addition, we are excited to start collaborating with Fur Free Chicago, a new group that is starting to incorporate some of CAA’s strategies to ban the sale of fur in our fine city. Please consider a donation to help us continue working to make the Windy City (and beyond) a much kinder and safer place for those who cannot defend themselves. Even $5 will be greatly appreciated! Many thanks for your consideration and generosity! Love, Jodie Jodie Wiederkehr, Executive Director & Founding Member Chicago Alliance for Animals (CAA)

📍 WCPT 820 – Sep 24 2025
Chew's Views With Richard Chew
Interview with Richard Chew – starts at 23:50

📍 FOLIO Weekly – August 22, 2025
Ban or Preserve? The Ongoing Controversy Surrounding St. Augustine’s Horse Carriages
Animal-rights activists argue that St. Augustine’s horse-drawn carriages expose horses to dangerous heat, scorching pavement, and stressful traffic conditions that can’t be made humane. They say the tradition is an outdated tourist attraction maintained at the expense of the animals’ safety and well-being.

📍 Chicago Tribune – June 24, 2025

Activist group continues its ‘Walk for Spur’ the giant tortoise at pet store in Lincolnwood. But the owner is over it: ‘I don’t engage them’
Activists rallied in Chicago (and nearby Lincolnwood) demanding the release of Spur — an endangered African spurred tortoise held for decades in a tiny, cement‑tiled display at a pet store, deprived of sunlight, proper ground, and the space needed to roam or dig.

They argue keeping Spur in those conditions — with no access to natural habitat, fresh air, or species‑appropriate care — is cruel and violates local ordinances banning the keeping of wild animals.

📍 IDA - In Defense of Animals – June 5, 2025
MEDIA RELEASE: Marchers Urge Mayor to End Illegal Imprisonment of Endangered Tortoise in Lincolnwood
"In Defense of Animals and Chicago Alliance for Animals rallied in Lincolnwood on Friday to demand freedom for Spur..."

📍 In Defense of Animals – May 23, 2025

Chicago: Walk for Spur the Imprisoned Sulcata Tortoise on Friday
Activists organized a march in Chicago’s Lincolnwood to call attention to Spur — an African Sulcata tortoise who has spent roughly 35 years confined in a small, tiled display case at The Animal Store, deprived of sunlight, fresh air, and any opportunity to roam, dig, or engage in natural behaviors. IDA USA
The event—organized by Chicago Alliance for Animals (CAA) together with advocates — urged local officials to enforce an existing ordinance banning the sale and keeping of wild animals, and demanded that Spur be sent to a sanctuary where she can live with dignity.

📍 CBS News Chicago – June 3, 2025
Alarming video shows dog being dragged from minivan on Chicago's Eisenhower Expressway
A horrifying video shows a dog being dragged on a leash behind a minivan along the outbound lanes of Eisenhower Expressway (I-290) in Chicago — with horrified bystanders waving, honking, and yelling while the dog was clearly in distress.
Animal-welfare advocates — including Chicago Alliance for Animals — say the dog likely suffered fatal injuries, calling the incident “intentional cruelty” and urging witnesses to call 911 if they see such abuse.

📍 UNCHAINEDTV – April 14, 2025
Shocking Rodeo Abuse: Illinois Under Fire for Steer Tailing Events
The video documents what critics call horrific cruelty during “steer‑tailing” rodeos in Illinois: riders chase down steers, grab their tails, wrap the tails around their legs, and violently drag or slam the animals to the ground — often causing broken bones, tail‑bone stripping (“degloving”), and other serious injuries.
Advocates including Showing Animals Respect and Kindness (SHARK) argue these events repeatedly violate animal‑welfare laws and call on state lawmakers and law enforcement to enforce bans and end steer‑tailing competitions.

📍 Heartland Signal – January 31, 2025

Joan Esposito: Live, Local & Progressive
Joan Esposito interviews animal‑welfare advocates about ongoing campaigns in Illinois, including Chicago Alliance for Animals’ efforts to expose cruelty in horse‑drawn carriages, steer‑tailing rodeos, and other exploitative practices. The discussion emphasizes how investigative reporting and local activism can shine a light on abuse, inform the public, and encourage stronger animal‑protection laws.

📍 Block Club Chicago – March 13, 2025

Should Chicago Ban Fur? Proposal Puts Animal Rights Activists And Small Businesses At Odds

"Animal rights advocates push for a citywide ban on the sale of new fur products, citing the cruelty of the fur trade and growing support for cruelty-free fashion."

📍 Chicago Sun Times - WBEZ Chicago – March 12, 2025

Put animal welfare first and ban fur sales in Chicago

Activists and animal-welfare supporters urge the Chicago City Council to ban fur sales in the city, arguing that fur production involves cruel conditions — wild animals confined in cramped, unsanitary sheds, suffering lifelong misery and being ultimately killed for fashion. They say continuing to allow fur sales means condoning that suffering and call on Chicago to adopt humane, modern alternatives.

📍 WTTW – January 15, 2025

Cook County Forest Preserves Gets Humane Society’s Stamp of Approval for Animal Ambassador Program

The Humane Society’s endorsement has raised concerns among animal advocates, who question whether any program that keeps wild animals in captivity for public display can truly be considered “humane.” The certification highlights the need for greater scrutiny and transparency in animal-related programming — and sparks important conversations about what real compassion for animals looks like.

📍 Talking Animals – October 30, 2024
Jodie Wiederkehr, Founder-Executive Director of the Chicago Alliance for Animals
Jodie Wiederkehr, founder and executive director of Chicago Alliance for Animals, describes how the group launched its first campaign — targeting horse-drawn carriages — by documenting violations of animal-welfare regulations, such as overwork, heat stress, and lack of rest periods. Their research and advocacy persuaded a city alderperson to introduce legislation to ban carriage rides — illustrating how grassroots activism can translate into concrete policy change for animal protection.

📍 WBEZ Chicago – October 4, 2024
Zoo Vets Create Groundbreaking Animal Radiology Database
A new medical imaging database for zoo animals marks progress in veterinary care — but also raises important ethical conversations about keeping wild animals in captivity.

📍 CBS News – November 1, 2024
Pigeon Trapping in Niles Sparks Outrage Among Animal Advocates
Video footage of dozens of pigeons being trapped in a suburban parking lot drew sharp criticism from animal protection groups concerned about the methods and lack of humane oversight.

📍 Block Club Chicago – March 12, 2025
Chicago City Council Votes Down Fur Ban Proposal
Despite strong support from animal rights activists, a proposed fur ban was rejected by City Council. Advocates vow to continue fighting to end the sale of new fur products in Chicago.

📍 Chicago Tribune – June 28, 2024
Opinion: Chicago Leadership Needs to Prioritize Compassionate Policies
In this letter to the editor, a veteran calls on local leaders to embrace policies that reflect compassion, integrity, and justice — values that also drive the animal advocacy movement.

📍 Spectrum News – July 28, 2022

Rocky the Illinois Coyote Gets Larger Enclosure — But Advocates Know It’s Not Enough
Rocky, a lone coyote kept for years on public display in suburban Chicago, is getting a slightly larger enclosure — but remains without a companion, natural environment, or real freedom. Advocates say his continued pacing signals severe stress, and call for his release to a true wild animal sanctuary where he could finally live with dignity, space, and the chance to be among his own kind.

📍 WTTW – July 24, 2019
Chicago Advocates Promote ‘Anti-Horse Carriage’ Pedicabs as Ethical Alternative
With slogans like “Save a Horse, Ride a Bike,” local animal advocates sponsored pedicabs to raise awareness about the cruelty of horse-drawn carriages in downtown Chicago.

Letters to the Editor

Now that the bill to limit horse carriages in St. Louis has passed out of committee, the Chicago Alliance for Animals strongly urges the rest of the Board of Aldermen to ignore state legislators and pass this ordinance ("State moves to block St. Louis' curbs on horse carriage rides." Jan. 31). There are countless reasons why horse carriages should be relegated to the history books, and neither tradition nor romance are good enough reasons to keep them. Just recently, the operator of a Texas carriage horse outfit lost her life, as did her horse, when an SUV crashed into her carriage. As many may know, there have been several serious accidents in St. Louis as well, including when Cash, the horse, dashed into freezing waters and drowned. If any passengers had drowned with him, a ban would have likely passed shortly thereafter. More than 60 businesses have officially endorsed our Chicago campaign to ban horse carriages with more coming in every day. Those who want to see animals protected and not abused are not a vocal minority of opponents like the horse carriage industry wants the public to believe. Times and attitudes have progressed, and the majority of society no longer approves of animals being exploited for profit. I visited St. Louis in July and I love the city. I'm just one of millions who does not want to see horses suffering in your streets when I come to town for a Cardinals/Cubs game. Jodie Wiederkehr • Chicago http://www.stltoday.com/opinion/mallbag/aldermen-should-follow-through-to-limit-horse-carriage- rides/article, ab500ed9-8090-5241-8138-62906e1125da.html St. Louis Trolley & Carriage Company driver Cynthia Steinman of Arnold takes customers for a ride past the Old Courthouse on Monday, July 14, 2014. Photo by Laurie Skrivan, Iskrivan@post- dispatch.com

Aldermen should follow through to limit horse carriage rides

Thank you for your patience while we work on this.

Like in Montreal, ban horse-drawn carriages

Fair Oaks Farms and Fairlife, your apologies aren't worth much. If you are truly sorry for what happened to the calves and cows on your farms, exposed by Animal Recovery Mission, you would get out of the dairy industry completely. Dairy is synonymous with animal suffering. Mike McCloskey and Mike Saint John, if you care about animal welfare at all, you would upgrade your business model to producing plant-based milk, which is a booming industry. I'm pretty certain you are unwilling to do that, so I would hope you would at least make your farms a bit more humane by keeping babies with their mothers and not confining calves to isolated, barren crates. Can you imagine a human baby forced to be all alone without their mother? At the very least, your companies should install security cameras, so the public can see how your employees handle the animals you profit from and to ensure that this type of disgusting terror never happens again. If dairies are unwilling to take these proactive steps, their apologies will fall on deaf ears. Animal abuse is inherent in animal agriculture and happens every single day, despite farms such as Fair Oaks promoting compassionate family farming. It's just rare that such an in-depth investigation gets such widespread media attention. Jodie Wiederkehr, Chicago Alliance for Animals