Direct Action Everywhere (DxE)

Direct Action Everywhere was launched in January 2013 by Wayne Hsiung — a former Northwestern University law professor — and collaborators in the San Francisco Bay Area. DxE distinguished itself through “open rescue”: entering facilities without concealing identities, documenting conditions on camera, removing animals, and publicly accepting criminal prosecution. By facing charges and going to trial, DxE aims to put facility conditions before juries and establish legal precedent for a “right to rescue” animals from documented cruelty.

The formal nonprofit — “DIRECT ACTION EVERYWHERE” (EIN 81-4502283) — is incorporated in California with a Berkeley mailing address, tax-exempt since June 2017. DxE operates as a decentralized chapter-based network claiming “thousands of activists” and “hundreds of organizers,” though its 2022 Form 990 lists just 2 employees and approximately 10 volunteers. All three listed officers (President Almira Tanner, Secretary Jonathan Frohnmayer, Treasurer Sabina Makhdomi) serve at $0 compensation.

FY2024 revenue was $493,717 (down 45% from $894,401 in FY2023), reflecting organizational contraction after Hsiung's departure from all formal roles in July 2023 and reputational turbulence from his legal proceedings. FY2024 expenses were $450,964 with net assets of approximately $302K.

At the core of DxE's legal theory is the “necessity defense” — the same principle that can justify breaking a car window to save a child in a hot car. DxE argues the harm prevented (animal suffering) outweighs the harm caused (trespass and property removal). This requires defendants to go to trial rather than accept plea deals, making every prosecution a potential precedent-setting case.

The “Right to Rescue” campaign (righttorescue.com) serves as both a legal defense fund and public education platform. After the 2017 Ridglan charges were dismissed in March 2024, DxE-allied activists executed a “turn the tables” maneuver: Hsiung and Dane4Dogs petitioned to prosecute Ridglan under Wisconsin's citizen-complaint procedure, with Alliance for Animals joining as co-petitioner. Evidence originally gathered by defendants became the evidentiary foundation for shutting down the facility.

The March 15, 2026 rescue spawned a broader mobilization under #Ridglan8. On March 21, Hsiung announced plans to mobilize 2,000 people for an April 12 action at Ridglan, seeking to pressure authorities to release remaining dogs before the July 2026 license surrender deadline. The coalition site (savethedogs.io, operated by Simple Heart Initiative) fundraises via Zeffy.

Dane4Dogs explicitly stated the March 15 action was “not affiliated with Dane4Dogs,” creating a visible fault line between the direct-action wing (Hsiung/Simple Heart) and the legal/institutional wing (Dane4Dogs/Alliance for Animals). This divergence echoes a recurring pattern: organizations that collaborate on legal strategies often distance themselves from direct actions risking criminal prosecution.

DxE has faced significant internal turbulence. Hsiung's 2019 leadership transition was framed publicly as positive evolution, but his July 2023 departure to launch The Simple Heart Initiative coincided with a 45% revenue decline. The New Yorkerprofile (March 2024) explores the tension between his radical activism and organizational sustainability.

The blurred boundary between DxE, Simple Heart, and the broader movement creates persistent attribution questions. Hsiung's March 2026 Ridglan action used Simple Heart infrastructure but is widely reported as “DxE-style,” reflecting how deeply intertwined the entities remain. The decentralized structure that DxE touts as a strength also complicates accountability — with $0 officer compensation and only 2 paid employees, the organization depends heavily on volunteer labor and individual commitment.