Today HumaneWatch.org, a project of the nonprofit Center for Consumer Freedom (CCF), called on the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) to open an investigation into the deceptive fundraising practices of the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS). A recent Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request revealed that more than 120 complaints have been filed with the FTC since December 2011 regarding HSUS.

Dozens of the complaints come from Americans who have given money to HSUS. HSUS’s deceptive advertising helps fool the unsuspecting public: a recent analysis found that more than 85 percent of the animals in HSUS’s TV appeals between January 2009 and September 2011 were cats and dogs, when just 1 percent of the money donated to HSUS is sent to hands-on pet shelters, according to HSUS tax returns.

“This is deception on a national level, and the FTC needs to act now,” said J. Justin Wilson, CCF’s Senior Research Analyst. “HSUS routinely employs familiar images of sad-looking dogs and cats in their advertisements. Yet, the majority of HSUS’s donations are used to bankroll an animal rights agenda. This emotionally charged bait-and-switch doesn’t just harm donors. It harms needy shelters and pets.”

Recent public polling determined that 71 percent of Americans mistakenly believe that HSUS is a pet shelter umbrella group, and 68 percent wrongly think that HSUS spends most of its money on pet shelters. Less than 1 percent of HSUS fundraising appeals have contained a disclaimer that local humane societies are independent of HSUS.

Some comments to the FTC include:

“I pay $19.00 monthly and have been paying for a minimum of 6 months. I thought that they [HSUS] were the country’s clearing house and this way my little bit of money could help whichever Humane Shelter needed it.”

“I feel the HSUS has advertised deceptively implying that my donation is used to help dogs and cats … I have donated hundreds of dollars over the years.”

“I donate money to help out animals, but I didn’t realize that the HSUS did not help out our local shelters.”

A longer list of quotes and a PDF of the complaints are accessible at HumaneWatch.org.

Today, the nonprofit Center for Consumer Freedom (CCF) is calling out People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals’ (PETA) latest hypocritical advertising campaign in New York City, which features actress Penelope Cruz giving the “cold shoulder” to wearing fur. While PETA lectures New Yorkers with a half-naked celebrity and phony “animal rights” message, it also continues to run a slaughterhouse in its own Norfolk, VA headquarters.

Despite years of public outrage over PETA’s euthanasia program, the notorious animal rights group has continued to kill adoptable animals in its shelter at an average of 42 pets every week. According to public records made available by the Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (VDACS), a total of 25,840 pets have died at the hands of PETA workers since 1998.

“PETA is far more concerned with funding its media and advertising antics than finding suitable homes for these dogs and cats,” said J. Justin Wilson, CCF’s Senior Research Analyst. “It’s about time PETA’s ‘shelter’ is reclassified as a slaughterhouse.”

Though the group rakes in millions of dollars a year, a recent audit of PETA’s operation found it did not even meet its own published guidelines on running a good shelter. The VDACS inspector astutely described the shelter, which is allegedly open to the public, as a “euthanasia clinic.” A review of 290 of PETA’s animal records found that 245 animals taken in – 84 percent – were euthanized within 24 hours.

“If they did their own research, celebrities like Cruz would turn a cold shoulder to PETA’s media stunts. The animal rights group’s brand is about as toxic as its so-called shelter,” Wilson continued. “Over 25,000 euthanized pets and counting? That’s a lot of fur.”

According to the U.S. government, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Tom Cruise, and Sammy Sosa are all obese! Trial lawyers and activists are using these flawed standards to sue food companies and call for higher taxes!

View PDF   View JPEG

You Are Too Stupid

…to make good personal decisions about foods and beverages.

View PDF   View JPEG

The New York Department of Health Hype is attacking soda. Some of their friends are even attacking diet soda!

View PDF   View JPEG

Hollywood PETA supporters need to know that their chosen activist group actually kills animals. By the thousands. Government records show PETA has killed over 14,000 dogs and cats, and the group shows no sign of slowing down.

View PDF   View JPEG

Congressional supporters of big sugar want to spend $1.3 billion to make a few sugar companies happy. And stick everyone else with higher food prices.

View PDF   View JPEG