Today HumaneWatch.org, a project of the nonprofit Center for Consumer Freedom, released a new poll of over 1,000 self-identified donors of the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) that found nearly two-thirds of those surveyed donate to the animal liberation group with the belief that their money goes either to help pet shelters or reduce the number of animals euthanized every year. However, upon learning HSUS in reality only gives one percent of its multi-million dollar budget to local hands-on pet shelters, nearly 60 percent of the respondents said they were now less likely to continue supporting the group.
HumaneWatch.org is continuing its campaign to correct the public misperception about HSUS’s work with a series of ads in the Capitol South metro station in Washington, D.C. with taglines including: “WTF? Where’s the Funding?,” “She’s Pissed,” and “Read the Fine Print.” Each ad also includes the text: “The Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) only gives 1% of its budget to local pet shelters,” and encourages riders to give to their local hands-on pet shelter directly.
“In today’s overly partisan environment it is telling that nearly 90 percent of those polled can agree: HSUS should be required to include disclaimers in its advertising,” said Will Coggin, CCF’s Senior Research Analyst. “HSUS president Wayne Pacelle can continue to claim that donors know what they’re funding, but these new polling numbers tell a different story. America’s animal lovers are largely unaware their dollars are going to exorbitant fundraising expenses, attacking farmers, paying a bloated staff of lawyers and lobbyists, and pushing PETA-style vegan propaganda.”
HumaneWatch.org finds HSUS shared one percent of its $127 million budget with pet sheltering organizations in 2011. In the same year, HSUS socked $2.4 million away into its pension plan, spent $2.6 million on lobbying, and spent nearly $50 million on fundraising-related expenses.
“HSUS is actively participating in duplicitous fundraising practices, reeling pet lovers in with pictures of sad-looking cats and dogs, while funneling their donations to a radical agenda,” continued Coggin. “The time has come for HSUS to come clean with its donors and the general public.”