WSBTV in Atlanta aired the following expose’ regarding the Humane Society of the United States.
Apparently, they’ve removed it from their website after pressure from HSUS and they’ve posted a clarification. Note the clarification only addresses one small piece of the story. Apparently, the rest of the story stands.
Not surprising. National organizations always have a lot of overhead and most of the donations go towards that instead of directly to the cause. Always better to donate locally to small volunteer-only organizations with no overhead that use every penny for cause.
.-= Shawnee´s last blog ..The Night The Sky Fell In =-.
I’ve always had my reservations about HSUS.
Donating to your local animal shelter is a great idea, but as an HSUS employee, I take issue with the WSBTV segment. It’s telling that the primary source for this story, as well as the highlighted interviewee, was David Martosko from the Center for Consumer Freedom, a front group for tobacco, alcohol and agribusiness interests.
CCF’s stock-in-trade involves taking aim at organizations that promote food safety, public health, or animal welfare. It started with a $600,000 grant from tobacco giant Philip Morris. CCF has even attacked the National Cancer Institute, Mothers Against Drunk Driving and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for their anti-drunk driving and public health campaigns.
CCF has been condemned by the editorial boards of USA Today and the Washington Post for misleading the public. ABC News has also exposed the organization as a front group.
For a more complete rebuttal of WSBTV’s television segment, check out http://www.hsus.org/about_us/response_to_.html. The HSUS has consistently received a 4-star rating from Charity Navigator and we work hard to make our supporters proud.
I can see the same tactics that the PETA people use as to the HSUS persons response. She immediately changed the subject to another person. No one was talking about drugs and alcohol and we all have the choice to drink and smoke even to the detriment of our health. All we are asking as Americans is the right to the freedom to the pursuit of happiness as guaranteed in the constitution. For years and years the hsus has been sending return address labels and showing devastating pictures of dog in horrible situations. They beg for your money and the many innocents contribute millions of dollars to them and even leave them money in their wills. Come to find out, none of that money helps the devastation of the dogs that were pictured, but into the pockets of the employees and into legislation to try to make breeders unable to breed and to stop dog shows and horse shows. To have $200 million dollars in their accounts, there should not be any animals put to sleep. They should be cared for by this money that was indeed donated for the animals’ care, not for high paying jobs and legislation against the real animal lovers?
I think it is important to maintain a high level of awareness regarding any charity you choose to support. Our family recently removed a local reputable rescue organization in the greater Seattle area from our family trust after finding they have overstated their efforts aka “marketing”. Very disappointing and it should be easier to determine such.
HSUS’s ultimate goal is the “liberation” of all animals, be they zoo, farm or companion. I wish they would obfuscate and prevaricate a little less when confronted with facts (taken from statements of their own president) as to their goals. How many people would donate to them if they knew HSUS members think keeping companion animals is akin to slavery? They’re extremists and their name is just another marketing ploy. They are not a humane society as people traditionally think of a humane society and they are not affiliated with any actual human societies. The money donated to them doesn’t help animals directly and never has – it goes toward buying our for-sale legislation process – and they have been quite successful. Money opens a lot of doors in DC – that’s what they were founded for – to get legislation passed to further their agenda. It’s debatable whether or not their agenda actually helps animals.
HSUS is very crafty in their marketing. They never say that they run shelters but their marketing campaigns often show dogs in shelter like conditions, cages and such. Their ads promote their work in national disasters and puppy mill busts but take a moment to look at their actual contributions. Generally they help with transportation or media costs. Not long ago, the HSUS “helped” with a puppy mill bust of over 400 dogs. Their help was in providing the transportation. The crates were proved by petsmart charities and the dogs were sent to local shelters who financed their care.
Another part of their marketing campaign is siezing on the latest hot issue. When Michael Vick was busted for dog fighting, HSUS ran ads about stopping dog fighters. The general public got the idea that they were helping the dogs taken from Vick’s property when instead, they money donated went to marketing campaigns.
While I agree that there is a need to creat awareness in the public’s mind, I think it could be done much cheaper and that the money would be better spent directly helping animals.
I work with a rescue group. Roughly speaking, it costs me about $150 per dog to pull it from a shelter, get it healthy, spayed/neutered, updated on vaccines, ect. With an operation budget of $200 million, how much more good could HSUS be doing?
The reason it’s important to acknowledge the source of WSBTV’s story is that the Center for Consumer Freedom is hardly an unbiased source. Everyone talks about “agendas”. Well, check out the CCF agenda at http://www.citizensforethics.org, a website maintained by the non-profit organization Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington. You might be surprised.
Regarding the criticisms of HSUS that have been raised here, it’s simply not true that our goal is the “liberation” of animals from any use by or interaction with humans. I have yet see any credible source for this contention. The many beloved pets who belong to HSUS staffers and who often accompany them to work would be astonished to hear that our organization looks upon the keeping of companion animals as slavery.
We have no problem with reputable breeders (see http://www.humanesociety.org/puppy for how the HSUS defines a reputable breeder), and by all means, if dog shows and horse shows are your passion, then enjoy them.
The HSUS doesn’t pretend to run animal shelters, but our hat is off to those who do. I have worked at several shelters and know what a difficult, thankless job it can be. I would contend that our membership is comprised of smart, compassionate people who know exactly what they are supporting — an organization that promotes the protection of all animals including farm animals, wildlife, marine mammals, research animals, etc. — and I would guess that many of these supporters also contribute to their local animal shelters.
While I can appreciate the appeal of a national group that fundraises on behalf of shelters and rescues throughout the country, this is not the premise upon which the HSUS was founded back in the 1950’s. Our mission is to advance animal protection on a national level, and this type of work is needed precisely because it’s larger than any one shelter – understandably concerned with the needs of its own community – can tackle.
I recognize there are people who disagree with the positions we take on various issues and I would expect no less in a free and open society, but the idea that HSUS is a radical organization is way off base.
I just hope this all doesn’t dash the good intentions and raise suspicions of people wanting to donate or help support animals in need.
Not sure i agree with the timing of their “expose” per sec… In this economy, everyone is hurting for money and though understandable to a certain degree.. it would be sad to see drop in donations.
Really glad you posted the linkie, Jenna and Snick! it’s worth a thoughtful discussion.
Maura, I understand what you are saying, but in reality, it sounds like we are only donating money to help their cause because the money is not going to the shelters to save animals. I would like all the donations to still come in, but straight to the local shelters and not going through HSUS. Why do we want to pay for our own demise?
Diana,
I’m glad the post with the linkie is there. I was more thinking of the mentality of those that i work with… sometimes people read those things and get an all or nothing impression. “If HSUS is that way, then ALL animal organizations are this way.” Very few people take the time or have the desire to research charities. It’s this generalization that i fear will affect donations to even rescues and local shelters. I did not express myself fully as i was typing it out at work.. but that was really the only thing i was saying.
Great posts!
Yes we all have been following this story.
It is so typical of them.
PetPac has tried to expose them and this story also: http://petpac.net/news/headlines/story_exposing_hsus_buried_read_transcript/
See where it got them!
Here’s a good site to find out if an org you like is upholding their promise: http://www.activistcash.com/
And they have a page about HSUS:
“HSUS president Wayne Pacelle described some of his goals in 2004 for The Washington Post: “We will see the end of wild animals in circus acts … [and we’re] phasing out animals used in research. Hunting? I think you will see a steady decline in numbers.†More recently, in a June 2005 interview, Pacelle told Satya magazine that HSUS is working on “a guide to vegetarian eating, to really make the case for it.†A strict vegan himself, Pacelle added: “Reducing meat consumption can be a tremendous benefit to animals.â€
Shortly after Pacelle joined HSUS in 1994, he told Animal People (an inside-the-movement watchdog newspaper) that his goal was to build “a National Rifle Association of the animal rights movement.†And now, as the organization’s leader, he’s in a position to back up his rhetoric with action. In 2005 Pacelle announced the formation of a new “Animal Protection Litigation Section†within HSUS, dedicated to “the process of researching, preparing, and prosecuting animal protection lawsuits in state and federal court.†“