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Meet Lucky: A resilient goat thriving at Herbivorous Acres
February 2, 2025
A Rough Start to Life
Lucky, a five-year-old Saanen goat, has an inspiring story of survival and resilience. Rescued in 2019 alongside his mother, Olivia, Lucky was only a few months old when he found safety at Herbivorous Acres. He and his mother, along with two other goats, Barney and Bunny, were saved from a dairy farm in Wisconsin.
In the dairy industry, male goats are not considered profitable because they do not produce milk, and they are often sold for meat. Fortunately, the farmer agreed to surrender Lucky (and friends), giving him a chance at a better life.
Overcoming Health Challenges
When Lucky arrived at Herbivorous Acres, he was in poor condition. He was the smallest of the two baby goats, underweight, and suffering from lice and parasites. The day after he arrived, Lucky had to be rushed to the vet, where he was diagnosed with coccidia, a parasite that can be dangerous in high amounts. His tiny body, already weakened by stress and malnutrition, struggled to fight off the infection.
With urgent veterinary care and plenty of love, Lucky slowly began to recover. Being close to his mother, Olivia, helped him regain strength and confidence. Today, despite his early struggles, Lucky is thriving.
However, he and his goat family have two incurable diseases, CAE (Caprine Arthritis Encephalitis) and CL (Caseous Lymphadenitis), which require ongoing veterinary care. Because of CAE, Lucky experiences joint pain and is on daily medication for arthritis. Thanks to dedicated caregivers, he is able to live a comfortable and happy life.
Wine, Cheese, and Compassion: Celebrating Donors at CAA’s New Space
Celebrating Our Amazing Supporters
On January 18, Compassionate Action for Animals (CAA) hosted a special Donor Appreciation Party to thank our incredible supporters. More than 40 donors and guests joined us for a fun and inspiring afternoon filled with connection and gratitude.
Vegan Wine and Cheese Tasting
Guests enjoyed a unique vegan wine and cheese tasting that took them through three different locations. This gave everyone a chance to explore our new office and storage space while enjoying delicious plant-based treats. Board members, staff and supporters had great conversations about our shared mission, making the event both meaningful and enjoyable. We even had games designed to help us get to know each other better.
A Look at Our Progress
At 2:30 p.m., our Executive Director, Laura Matanah, gave a powerful talk about what CAA accomplished in 2024 and our big goal to inspire 1 million Minnesotans to take action for animals by 2026. She also shared ways supporters can help even more, such as volunteering, employer donation matching, and legacy giving. Many attendees were excited to get more involved! Check out this copy of her slide presentation for more details.
Volunteer Spotlight: Kedar Deshpande’s Inspiring Journey With CAA
January 20, 2024
How It All Began: Discovering Compassionate Action for Animals
Kedar Deshpande’s story with Compassionate Action for Animals (CAA) began in 2007. He was a committed vegan when he moved to Minneapolis and began searching for a community that shared his values. “I had heard about CAA’s work in free food sampling and animal advocacy and made a donation because I love using food as a gateway to talking about animals,” Kedar shares. After connecting with CAA co-founder Unny Nambudiripad, Kedar quickly became very involved with the organization.
A Legacy of Volunteering and Leadership
Over the years, Kedar has taken on a variety of roles with CAA, including:
- Distributing educational leaflets
- Organizing potlucks and food sampling events
- Co-organizing the “Their Lives, Our Voices” animal advocacy conference
- Contributing to VegGuide.org, a global catalog of vegan-friendly restaurants started by CAA co-founder Dave Rolsky
Meet Moolan: A feisty, Loyal Heifer Living Her Best Life at Farmaste Animal Sanctuary
January 6, 2024
Moolan, a vibrant 7-year-old bovine, has been stealing hearts since she was rescued in January 2018. With her unique sideways horn and spunky personality, Moolan is a testament to resilience, curiosity, and the beauty of giving animals a second chance.
Moolan’s Story: A Rescue Rooted in Care
Moolan was born into a challenging environment. Her mother, Ellie, lived among cows that carried Johne’s disease — a condition that doesn’t affect milk quality but can harm the animals carrying it. While Ellie tested negative, there was a risk Moolan could contract the disease as a newborn in the pasture. To ensure their safety, Moolan and Ellie were allowed to be brought to a Farmaste Animal Sanctuary where they could live free from the dangers of disease and cruel dairy farming practices.
Meet Our New Program Assistant: Kelso Anderson, A Dedicated Voice for Animals
December 16, 2024
We are excited to introduce our newest staff member at Compassionate Action for Animals (CAA), Kelso Anderson! With years of volunteer experience with CAA and a strong commitment to animal advocacy, Kelso brings passion, skill, and heart to our mission of ending factory farming. Read on to learn more about Kelso and his journey with CAA!
Stepping Into a New Role
As the new Program Assistant, Kelso will be helping CAA stay organized and efficient. In this part-time position he’ll help manage finances, track important data, and support other staff members with various projects and tasks. When asked about his motivation to apply for this role, Kelso shared:
“I’ve been volunteering with CAA for over two years, and I’m inspired by the organization’s mission. Joining the team officially felt like the best way to contribute more to ending animal suffering.”
Kelso’s attention to detail and dedication to the cause make him a great fit for this essential role.
CAA Volunteer Spotlight: Anna Larsson’s Passion for Volunteering
December 16, 2024
Anna Larsson has been an active volunteer with Compassionate Action for Animals (CAA) for the past four years. A dedicated vegan for nearly 15 years, Anna’s passion for animals and community building has made her an outstanding volunteer.
Her journey into volunteering began when she saw promotions for CAA’s annual Vegan Chili Cook-Off and Twin Cities Veg Fest. As an introvert, attending events solo seemed daunting. To make sure she went, she decided to volunteer — and she’s been hooked ever since!
“It was so much fun, and everyone was so inclusive and welcoming, that I felt like I had found my people,” Anna shares about her first experience volunteering at the Vegan Chili Cook-Off. This sense of belonging kept her coming back for more.
Meet Alysia: Passionate Volunteer Making a Difference for Animals
November 25, 2024
Discovering CAA and a Passion for Service
Alysia Nelson has been volunteering with Compassionate Action for Animals (CAA) for the past year and a half, combining her passion for plant-based living with her commitment to serving others. She discovered CAA through MeetUp while searching for programs that served plant-based meals. Alysia was drawn to CAA’s work preparing and serving meals for those in transitional housing at Simpson Housing Services.
Why CAA?
“CAA does A LOT to improve the lives and well-being of animals,” Alysia shared, explaining what initially impressed her about the organization and inspired her to get involved.
A Range of Volunteer Roles
Since joining CAA, Alysia has contributed in various ways, including as a photographer for this year’s Twin Cities Veg Fest. She described the experience as “a blast and really well-organized.” With her enthusiasm for photography, the role was a natural fit, and she appreciated how accessible CAA makes it to volunteer.
ThanksLiving Potluck 2024: A Celebration of Community, Compassion, and Delicious Vegan Food
November 25, 2024
On November 23, 2024, Matthews Park in Minneapolis was filled with the amazing smells of vegan dishes as over 100 people came together for Compassionate Action for Animals’ (CAA) annual ThanksLiving potluck. This special event featured a feast of plant-based foods, including highlights like vegan turkey and gluten-free meatloaf donated by The Herbivorous Butcher. These favorites, along with a variety of sides, drinks, and desserts, showed off the creativity and passion of the CAA community.
Building Connections
The ThanksLiving potluck wasn’t just about the food — it was also about connecting with others. Guests filled out forms with fun questions like “What can you teach others?” and “What would you like to learn?” These conversation starters led to great discussions and helped people at each table bond, even if they already knew each other.
Fun Prizes and Generous Donors
To make the event even more exciting, completed forms were entered into a prize drawing. Thanks to donations, five lucky winners received gifts like a Tabitha Brown cookbook and gift cards to NE Wellness. The grand prize — a $100 gift card to NE Wellness — went to Breanna Knutson. She plans to use it for a relaxing massage (well deserved after leading the Twin Cities Veg Fest Planning Committee!).
Vegan holiday specials: Where to find holiday meals and treats in the Twin Cities and beyond
November 18, 2024
The Twin Cities have some amazing vegan holiday offerings this year! From pies and meal kits to full dinners, local businesses are providing a wide range of plant-based options to help you create a compassionate and delicious celebration. This is especially timely as recent research shows that 29% of all Americans plan to have plant-based options on their Thanksgiving table!
Our guide provides ideas for some of this season’s best vegan holiday specials. This page is a work in progress requiring group input to make it as complete and accurate as possible. We captured as much information as we could but may have missed some special offerings. Help out and email us with any additional vegan holiday options or to add further details: [email protected]. Information on options in Greater Minnesota are particularly helpful. Please note that some deadlines may have passed or items may be sold out — check with each business for more details.
Hope and Asher’s Journey: A Story of Rescue and Love at Spring Farm Sanctuary
November 11, 2024
Spring Farm Sanctuary Welcomes Hope and Asher
Spring Farm Sanctuary recently welcomed two very special sheep, Hope and Asher, who have quickly become part of the sanctuary family. Their journey to safety began when the sanctuary received a call about two lambs in desperate need. These lambs had been neglected and were about to be killed. It was clear they needed immediate help, so Spring Farm rushed to save them, hoping to give them a second chance at life.
Rescue and Recovery