Washington, D.C.–Today HumaneWatch.org, a project of the nonprofit Center for Consumer Freedom, announced a new ad running on national cable targeting the deceptively named Humane Society of the United States (HSUS). The ad, titled “Would You?,” features several people asking if viewers would give to HSUS knowing certain facts about the organization, such as that it recently paid a multimillion-dollar racketeering settlement. The ad is also running more intensely in the D.C. metro area.
“It’s hard to believe anyone would support HSUS if they knew the truth about the deception,” said Will Coggin, director of research at the Center. “HSUS relies on manipulative and deceptive ads to keep Americans in the dark and fund a radical, PETA-like agenda that has nothing to do with rescuing and sheltering animals.”
Some facts about HSUS include:
- The organization paid almost $6 million last year to settle racketeering, fraud, and bribery litigation against it;
- The Oklahoma attorney general is currently investigating HSUS;
- Charity Navigator has issued a “Donor Advisory” against HSUS;
- HSUS has repeatedly earned “D” grades from CharityWatch;
- HSUS does not run a single pet shelter, despite its name and its ads full of dogs and cats.
“People who care about saving cats and dogs should give to their local shelter directly,” continued Coggin. “HSUS doesn’t deserve donations; it deserves more investigations of its deceptive fundraising appeals.”
