What if we could end rodeos once and for all? Most people have no idea what really happens behind the scenes at rodeo events. Animals face blatant, intentional abuse, including a violent practice called steer tailing—where steers are deliberately injured for entertainment. In this episode, Steve Hindi of SHARK (SHowing Animals Respect and Kindness) and Jodie Wiederkehr of Chicago Alliance for Animals, take us inside their fight to ban steer tailing in Illinois, and explain how you can take action to protect these animals.
Steve Hindi is an American animal rights activist and businessman. Founder and President of SHowing Animals Respect and Kindness (SHARK), an organization focused on documenting and protesting animal cruelty. He transitioned from a hunting and fishing background in 1989 to becoming a vocal opponent of practices like live pigeon shoots, rodeos, cockfighting, and more.
Jodie Wiederkehr is the founder and executive director of the Chicago Alliance for Animals (CAA), an all-volunteer, grassroots animal protection organization.
Jodie also formed the Partnership to Ban Horse Carriages Worldwide in 2017, where she guides animal advocates in numerous cities around the world to ban the inhumane and dangerous trade where they live.
Almost one year to the date of Chicago’s horse carriage vote, CAA succeeded in passing Chicago's Puppy Mill Bill Loophole Law, which shut down the remaining pet stores that were selling dogs from unscrupulous sources such as puppy mills and backyard breeders.
In addition, she founded the Center For Ethical Science (CFES), which is dedicated to educating the public on the egregious cruelty, immense tax dollar waste, and misleading and unreliable results of animal experimentation as well as the daily flouting of the federal Animal Welfare Act.
CAA's current campaigns include the fights to #FreeSpur, a huge Sulcata tortoise who was trafficked from her home and family in Africa and who's languished in a tiny, incredibly unnatural display case for nearly thirty-five years in Lincolnwood, Illinois as well as #FreeRocky, the lonely coyote/pack animal, who's been stuck all alone in a small cage in Chicagoland's bitter cold winters for more than five years now.
Jodie has also been hosting an animal rights radio show on WCPT AM 820 for the last two years called ‘If Cage Walls Could Talk’. It airs every Saturday evening from 5-6 pm CST and features interviews with well-known leaders in the world of animal protection and dedicated grassroots activists who are making such positive change for those without a voice.
Find contact information mentioned by Jodie and Steve and the full action you can take on our Substack here: https://nicolearciello.substack.com/
SHARK:
https://www.sharkonline.org/
https://www.instagram.com/sharkonlineorg/
https://www.facebook.com/sharkonlineorg
https://www.youtube.com/user/SHARKonlineorg
https://www.tiktok.com/@sharkonlineinvestigation
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steve_Hindi#SHARK
Jodie Wiederkehr
https://chicagoalliancefor.wixsite.com/chicagoaa
https://heartlandsignal.com/programs/if-cage-walls-could-talk/
https://x.com/ChiAnimalRights
https://www.instagram.com/chicago_alliance_for_animals/
https://www.facebook.com/groups/www.chicagoallianceforanimals.org
https://www.youtube.com/@ChicagoAllianceForAnimals
