Pet Shelters Vent About So-Called National “Humane Society”
If you’re a regular Consumer Freedom reader, you already know that the deceptive Humane Society of the United States (HSUS), despite the “humane society” in its name, gives an abysmally low portion of its nine-figure budget to hands-on pet shelters. HSUS’s spending stands in contrast to the perception of many Americans, 59 percent of whom think HSUS gives most of its money to dog and cat shelters, and 71 percent of whom think that HSUS is their umbrella group.
Don’t take our word for it. Following the release last week of our “Not Your Local Humane Society” report, which examined HSUS’s shelter grantmaking in all 50 states, several reporters asked shelter professionals for their feedback. Here’s what they said:
“We hear it all the time, ‘But I already gave to the Humane Society.’ They think they are helping the shelter here, but they don't understand that money doesn't come locally.”
–Donna Clark, Kanawha-Charleston Humane Association executive director (West Virginia)
“I definitely think it’s an issue. We have people walk into the shelter and say, ‘Oh, I give to the Humane Society of the United States. That’s our opportunity to tell them, ‘No, it doesn’t work that way.’”
– Arlette Moen, Circle of Friends Humane Society executive director (North Dakota)
“My own mother was confused and thought that when she was writing a check to the Humane Society of the United States that was going to support me and my work … If you give to the Kansas Humane Society that’s helping animals locally. When you give to the Humane Society of the United States that’s going to them in Washington DC and they’re choosing how to use your money.”
– Jennifer Campbell, Kansas Humane Society communications director (on KSNW-TV)
“[People think] that if they give to the national organization that somehow the local organization is benefitting. That's completely false. There's no money whatsoever. We have never received one dime from the HSUS.”
– Raynette Mayer, Central Savannah River Area Humane Society volunteer (Georgia)
“People are also under the assumption that the term ‘humane society’ connotes that that organization must be part of a formal network. In fact, ‘humane society’ is a generic term.”
– Joe Grisanti, Humane Society of Northwestern Pennsylvania director (on WJET-TV)
“These are our communities, this is where our money should be staying. People send it to the national humane society when they see these ads thinking it's going to come back to us, when it's really paying their salaries and paying for these ad campaigns and not doing a thing for our local animals.”
– Olive Sullivan, Southeast Kansas Humane Society promotions director
As more Americans are hearing what we’ve known for years, we can only wonder how long it is until HSUS’s house of cards falls. HSUS’s true priority seems to be pushing an animal rights agenda while snubbing local shelters.
If you want to help animals, give locally.
