Monica Wooters Khan
In downtown Portland, activists took to the streets—armed with megaphones, cowbells, and an unwavering commitment to make noise for the millions of hens trapped in cages.
“Animals want to spread their wings, just like us! Animals hate cages, just like us!”
Chants rang out through the air, interrupting a peaceful Sunday afternoon in Portland’s Pearl District. Heads turned to see the commotion happening across from the brand new Cambria Hotel.
Cambria is an “upscale” brand belonging to Choice Hotels, a global chain in the center of an animal abuse scandal. As guests streamed in and out of the building—with many visiting from out of town for the Nike Cross Nationals happening that weekend—activists held signs and banners with images of suffering hens. They shouted into megaphones, rang cowbells, blew whistles, and banged on a drum, making noise for the animals suffering in Choice Hotels’ supply chains.
What’s going on with Choice Hotels and animal abuse?
Back in 2020, Choice Hotels made a promise. In a voluntary cage-free egg commitment, the company said it would stop sourcing eggs from hens trapped in cruel cages by 2025.
But 2025 is almost over. And Choice executives have completely disregarded the deadline they set for themselves—making no progress on going cage-free, and leaving millions of hens trapped in extreme confinement.
For birds, these cages are a living nightmare. Unbearably small and overcrowded, cages in commercial egg facilities don‘t even allow hens the freedom to move or open their wings. Animals’ bones weaken and grow brittle from the lack of movement, and some—too exhausted or trapped to move—are trampled to death by their fellow cage mates. Surrounded by their own waste and rotting corpses, these hens are forced to endure a daily hell.
So activists are doing their best to make day-to-day work uncomfortable for Choice Hotels leadership—until they follow through and do the right thing for animals.
Cambria Protest Pic 2
Fighting cruelty with courage
After two activists delivered a letter to the front desk of the hotel, which explained the campaign and their reason for the protest, the team lined up on the edge of the park across the street from the hotel. They stood in clear view where they could be seen and heard by guests—putting pressure on the hotel manager to use his authority to address the animal abuse concerns.
As a longtime organizer, one of my favorite things about fighting for animals is getting to see activists step into their power. And one leader in particular has been turning the Portland team into a protesting powerhouse.
Back in August, he flew all the way out to Miami to pressure Subway to end extreme cruelty. And when Victor has a megaphone in hand, something magical happens. Crafting forceful, thought-provoking speak outs and communicating his passion for this cause, he advocates for animals with something like grace.
When we were leaving Miami, he made it clear: he wanted this same sense of power for his team back in Portland too. That‘s what activism is all about: building power among local communities.
Portland Cambria Protest Pic 3
What happens next, and what can you do?
Several hotel employees came out to film our team of protestors, who were able to get the general manager’s email from staff. The team has reached out to him since the protest, and they‘re making sure he knows this isn‘t over.
This fight continues until Choice Hotels honors its commitment. If you want to join the pressure campaign, tell Choice leadership to follow through on its promise to end extreme animal cruelty. You don’t need a megaphone or a team of organizers to make a difference—you just need to add your voice, whether online or in your own community. Together, we’re building a future where corporations can’t break promises to animals without consequences.
