Open the Cages Alliance (OTCA), based in Baltimore, MD and Washington, DC, 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.

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On Monday, January 9th, OTCA teamed up with members of the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicineand the Baltimore Animal Rights Network to lobby for the Great Ape Protection and Cost Savings Act (GAPCSA) (H.R. 1513/S. 810).  The Act would end chimpanzee experimentation in federally and privately-funded laboratories, require the release of more than 500 federally-"owned" chimpanzees to sanctuaries, and also prohibit future breeding and transport of chimpanzees for invasive research.  The GAPCSA is currently sitting in the Congressional Sub-Committee on Water and Wildlife.  Please visit PCRM's website for more information and to contact your Congressional representatives.

Want to be a Vegan Coach? Save the date: March 11th, 2012!


Want to be a Vegan Coach for an aspiring vegan?  Volunteer for OTCA's 2012 Vegan Living Program! One component of this low-cost educational program will be the option for participants to pledge to live vegan for one month.  Vegan Pledges will be a assigned a one-on-one Vegan Coach - maybe you!  OTCA is seeking self-motivated volunteers who will listen and respond to their Pledge's specific concerns and questions as a new vegan, and act as their Pledge's main contact point for the Vegan Living Program.  Change can be tough - please consider acting as a Vegan Coach to make the transition to vegan living easier and more sustainable for an aspiring vegan!  

Vegan Pledges and Coaches will be required to attend five educational sessions, on five Sundays from April 15th to May 20th, 2012 (skipping May 13th for Mother's Day), from 3:00-5:30pm in Baltimore.  These sessions will include Coach/Pledge "meet and greet" time, presentations on vegan nutrition, fitness, and meal-planning, and will conclude on May 20th with a celebratory meal and presentation of certificates of completion for Pledges.  In addition to these five Sunday sessions, "elective" educational sessions will be held throughout the program on topics such as raising vegan kids, raw foods, and vegetable gardening.  All sessions except for the celebratory meal will be open to the public.  Only the five Sunday sessions from April 15th - May 20th are mandatory for Vegan Coaches, but Coaches are welcome at all sessions.  There is no fee for Coaches to participate in the Vegan Living Program, but a small, sliding-scale donation will be suggested for Pledges and other attendees.

An informational meeting will be held on Sunday March 11th from 3:00-5:00pm for those interested in being a Vegan Coach.  You may attend the meeting without committing to be a Vegan Coach.  Venue is to be announced.  We'll send final details out when confirmed, but please feel free to contact us at info@openthecages.org if you are interested in being a Vegan Coach!

More Info about the Vegan Living Program...

Earlier this year, inspired by our friends at  Peace Advocacy Network, we brought you the  Baltimore Vegan Pledge Program (BVPP).  We've listened to feedback from BVPP attendees, and are excited to present a new, independent project called the Vegan Living Program (VLP)!

The Vegan Living Program will be an educational program for those who want to try living vegan - for a day, a month, or a lifetime...or if you're just curious!  The VLP will consist of weekly classes/discussions in the Baltimore/DC area, supplemented with social gatherings and field trips, for the purpose of learning the how-tos of vegan living. We'll cover topics such as nutrition, cooking and meal-planning, shopping, eating out or with family, and lots more!  Participants may take part in just a class or two, or pledge to live vegan for a month with the support of a one-on-one Vegan Coach and the Vegan Living Program classes.

The Vegan Living Program will kick off on April 15, 2012, and wrap up with a celebratory meal for Vegan Pledges and their Coaches on May 20, 2012.  Details about classes, venues, dates and times are to be announced in the coming months!  There will be a small suggested donation per class (waived for Vegan Coaches).  Please email info@openthecages.org if you have any ideas or skills you'd like to offer to the VLP!

We look forward to seeing you soon!