Open the Cages Alliance (OTCA) is a nonprofit organization dedicated to exposing and ending animal cruelty and promoting compassionate, healthy and environmentally responsible living through public awareness projects and targeted campaigns

Open the Cages Alliance (OTCA) is a nonprofit organization dedicated to exposing and ending animal cruelty and promoting compassionate, healthy and environmentally responsible living through public awareness projects and targeted campaigns.

Open the Cages Alliance is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that coordinates animal advocacy events in Baltimore, MD, New York City, NY, Long Island, NY, and surrounding areas. As a grassroots group, we have been organizing since 2003. In 2011, we incorporated as Open the Cages Alliance. We are now comprised of three volunteer directors, plus additional local volunteers.

Our organization evolved out of anti-globalization organizing in the Towson, MD area in 2003, and primarily coordinated anti-vivisection and fur protests. In 2007, we began our frequent vegan outreach and leafleting events which continue to this day, and began to organize demonstrations for animals used by the rodeo and foie gras industries, in addition to fur and vivisection. We also worked closely with organizations in upstate New York on the Wegmans Cruelty campaign from 2006-2008. In 2009, passionate new organizers merged with longtime local event coordinators, and in 2010 we began organizing in both Baltimore and Washington, DC as Open the Cages Alliance (OTCA), and in 2012 expanded into New York City and Long Island, NY.

Open the Cages Alliance now takes a fully vegan approach to animal advocacy, rather than organizing for reforms or banning specialty products (such as foie gras). In 2011 we organized our first Baltimore Vegan Pledge Program, a free educational program in which 30 people pledged to be vegan for one month, with the support of a personal vegan mentor, free weekly educational sessions and materials, and supportive social events. Renamed the Vegan Living Program in 2012, and vastly grown each year since our first program in 2011, we are currently planning our 6th VLP in Baltimore, and our second on Long Island, NY. Please visit www.veganlivingprogram.org for more information or to get involved in the VLP as a Pledge, Coach, or volunteer.

In addition to our Vegan Living Program, we continue to hold frequent outreach events, feed-ins and workshops in Baltimore, New York City, and Long Island. Please visit our website for schedule or volunteer opportunities: www.openthecages.org. We hope to see you soon!

Until All Are Free,

Open the Cages Alliance
Brenda Sanders, Erin Marcus, and Robin Helfritch (Directors)