I have to admit, I choke up a little bit every time one of those commercials comes on TV — you know, the ones with the saddest looking kittens and puppies the world has ever seen.
As sad music plays in the background, we see the cutest little animals in cages, looking like all they need in the world is a fresh bowl of food, some water and a good friend to rub their scruffy little bellies. Who is going to be that good friend? Well, as evidenced by its logo in the corner of the screen, that would be the Humane Society of the United States, of course.
After seeing these heart-wrenching commercials, Americans of all ages and incomes pick up the phone or get on the Internet to make their pledge to help those poor animals. And we all feel a little bit better about ourselves for giving up some of our hard-earned cash to a great organization dedicated to helping those shelter animals find loving homes.
If only the HSUS actually cared about those animals as much as those folks who donate their money.
The sad reality is HSUS, which defines itself as the “nation’s largest and most effective animal protection organization,” has almost nothing to do with the direct care of animals in the thousands of shelters across the nation. In fact, according to the organization’s own financial records, only one-half of one percent of its almost $100 million budget actually goes to helping hands-on animal shelters.
So, out of every $200 Americans pledge to this organization, only $1 goes to actually helping the animals that really need it. Where does the rest of the donated money go? Well, for one thing, according to the Center for Consumer Freedom, in 2008 more than $2.5 million went right into this rich animal rights group’s pension plans.
HSUS also uses those donations to advance a radical animal rights agenda through wide-ranging, expensive lobbying and advertising campaigns. Even though you can’t tell from its commercials, one of the group’s underlying goals is to promote veganism. The organization may officially say it is not against eating meat or other animal products, but comments from some of its senior officials tell another story.
Paul Shapiro, head of HSUS’s anti-“factory farming” campaign, is vegan and has stated “eating meat causes animal cruelty,” while encouraging people to become vegetarian or vegan. What Shapiro and HSUS fail to acknowledge is farmers (like my family), ranchers and animal scientists around the country are dedicated to providing the best care possible for our animals.
Shapiro and friends — including HSUS CEO Wayne Pacelle — are the folks behind California’s Proposition 2, which passed in 2008 and is now threatening the livelihood of some of the Golden State’s egg farmers. Furthermore, when Ohio farmers sensed they could be HSUS’s next target, they came together to create the governor-appointed Ohio Livestock Care Standards Board to ensure the state’s farm animals were being cared for under the best methods possible.
A version of this article appeared in the Sep 15 issue of the Collegiate Times.
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This article is not well-researched. The Humane Society is very helpful to local shelters and international shelters around the world. Just because they are successful doesn't mean they have to share every bit of their donations with all shelters. They are state-of-the-art in legislation, education, shelter building, communications, and cruelty investigations and rescues. Just because Ma and Pa almost lost their farm doesn't give you the right to bash the mission of the HSUS. Maybe your family needs to learn a new trade, because so far, all the local HUMANE farmers are doing just fine with Prop 2 in California. I think you guys need a new columnist and editor, because you really dropped the ball on this article. Maybe you guys need a new trade as well. Maybe you need to volunteer with HSUS and see just how much good they really do.
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Wow. So how much does H$U$ pay you to scan the internet for negative marks against them?
It is a FACT that many at H$U$ have a long hostory of ties to the ALF despite the slick suits and ties they wear. Wayne has many quotes he wishes he can take back regarding his true feelings. He is not the bastion of freedom, He's a facist in an armani suit.
The research is out there. They are feeling heat from people that are sick of utilitarians trying to dictate how everyone must live. That's why they removed their corporate sponsors from their website.
They have no problem attacking messengers though. They are a lobbying group. But it's okay to attack the people (another lobbying group) who are exposing them for *gasp* getting money to be a lobbying group. Pot and kettle...
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Aaaah,the infamous "Jason". Crawling out from under rocks everywhere to collect his pay from Radical Animal Rights groups such as the H$U$ and MFA. Video stager and splicer, resume padder and alias creator. One who stands by and watches animal abuse for the greater good of the agenda of those who pay him. Your name alone discredits you. I hope you see the faces of those animals you allowed to be abused in your dreams and know in your heart you could have stopped their suffering but CHOSE to keep rolling the film..sicko
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Melissa, I think perhaps you have post authors confused ? Jason's post is agreeing with the column & tells more truth about H$U$.
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HSUS is helpful to shelters ? I've been in rescue for over a decade & have never seen a shelter or rescue group I've worked with get a single cent from HSUS. According to HSUS's 2008 tax return they gave less than 1/2 of 1% of millions in donations they receive to help shelters. I can't wait to see 2009's return. Yes, Hillary we know all about how HSUS admits it doesn't fund shelters but the tear jerker commercials damn well imply it. So do the HSUS telemarketers who will harrass you to no end with their calls. Build shelters ? You mean like the one in NOLA that was built so that the investigation into where millions in Katrina donations went was called off ? Do you know that HSUS charges thousands of dollars for their "evaluations" of shelters ? That farmers & ranchers pay to be listed as "certified humane" ? How about the Humane University ? HSUS's charter forbids them from running a school. Can you explain that Hillary ? A judge has to swear you in to get a badge ? LOL Any idiot can buy a bogus badge & wear it. The purpose is for people to be deceived into thinking HSUS is law enforcement & be intimidated. HSUS is NOT law enforcement nor are they a government agency. They have absolutely no right to step one foot on anyone's property.
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why anonymous????? do a google search for H.S. of U.S
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Actually, no not all the humane farmers are still farming! I love my animals, but at the same time, they can not survive for themselves, so when you are for banning horse slaughter, horses are going to Mexico and Canada where there ARE NO transportation laws. Farmers strive hard to provide a SAFE and WHOLESOME product by being treating their animals fantastic because it is ethically correct! If they didn't treat their animals good, they wouldn't make money and be out of business.
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Actually, no not all the humane farmers are still farming! I love my animals, but at the same time, they can not survive for themselves, so when you are for banning horse slaughter, horses are going to Mexico and Canada where there ARE NO transportation laws. Farmers strive hard to provide a SAFE and WHOLESOME product by being treating their animals fantastic because it is ethically correct! If they didn't treat their animals good, they wouldn't make money and be out of business.
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References please?
I agree with donating money directly to local shelters. Same with organizations designed to help people - donate directly to local chapters or local orgs.
I'll just say up-front that I've been a vegetarian for almost 11 years AND I grew up on a farm with neighbors who raised and slaughtered cattle humanely. Just from observations and conversations, it seems that many around here also raise cattle humanely. But I've also lived out West where it's not the case. And I disagree with the conditions that factory farmed chickens live in. I vote with my wallet - I'm willing (and fortunately able) to buy eggs from local farmers.
To each their own, but I'm glad that there are groups willing to lobby for the RIGHTS of animals to live and die in humane conditions.
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Go to the HSUS website. You can read their 2008 tax return & see exactly how much went where. Read Nathan Winograd's No Kill Nation blog. There's tons of info on HSUS, PeTA, ASPCA, etc. there.
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When you support an animal rights organization you are not supporting the rights of animals to be managed humanely by humans. You are supporting the rights of extremist activists to force you to give up all animal ties altogether - to 'liberate' the animals from 'human bondage'.
Animal rights organizations are vegan organizations, and are not in any way friendly to animals. The vegan goal is to eliminate all animal products and animals from human lives. All ... food, clothing, companionship, exhibition, working anÃmals. All.
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What's so radical about promoting a vegan diet?
Farmers provide the best possible care for their animals?
Are battery cages really the best possible care?
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I completely agree!
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Well, if you look up the stats, you'll find that vegans comprise less than 2% of the population.
Why should this tiny, extremist group be allowed to impose their lifestyle, by law, upon the rest of the population? That is what all this frantic 'animal welfare' law is about. It's really about animal RIGHTS. In the last forty years, I have never lived in a place where there were no animal abuse laws, though I grant they were sometimes not well policed. What is happening here and now, via the draconian laws which are so hostile to all animal keeping, from pet ownership to livestock management is the imposition of an animal free lifestyle on everyone.
The goal is to incrementally regulate animal use by humans out of existence. The project is going pretty well, I'd say. Remember, they don't have to OUTLAW the eating of animal products - that includes milk, eggs, fish and seafood, by the way - nor the use of leather or wool, nor the keeping of pets or fiber animals - all they have to do is make it impossible for practical purposes.
Beware, when you vote, of the effect of unforeseen consequences!
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Kieron- It is nice to meet a person with an ag. degree!!! Your degree in poulty science came from what university? Seems you know alot about poulty production, so maybe start by educating us about both the pros and cons of both caged and cage-free egg production. I really would like to know more, and it seems you are just the expert I've been looking for!!
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The Humane Society of the U.S. isn’t affiliated with local shelters, nor do we claim to be. Take a look at our website (humanesociety.org), our CEO’s blog (waynepacelle.com), the HSUS member magazine, etc, as well as the commercials referred to by Brad. They reflect the wide scope of our work, from puppy mills to factory farming to wildlife protection. Even our logo is comprised of different species, not just dogs and cats.
There are many farmers, ranchers, and scientists who take good care of their animals; that’s not a point we dispute. Our focus is on broader reforms that are sorely needed in various industries. For example, California’s Prop 2, which received strong public support, requires that laying hens, pregnant sows, and veal calves be allowed enough room to stand up, turn around, and extend their limbs. Is this really a radical and unreasonable idea? In Ohio, our organization has sought similar reforms.
Financially supporting your local shelter is an important thing to do. After all, shelters provide their communities with many services, from pet adoption to humane education. But the HSUS serves a critical role as well: our organization strikes at the root causes of animal cruelty and advocates for all animals.
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Thank you Hillary for your great comments. Unfortunately, people seem to be twisting your words and continuing to have a "learned misunderstanding" of what HSUS does. That is why I continue to donate to your organization's educational programs. I continue to hope my donations will go toward educating the children of the negative response people, and hopefully they will go on to educate their parents and their own kids about your mission statement. Keep up the good work.
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Ahh, Hillary.
Do you really want to comment here as you are the first in line to profit from the donations meant for helping puppies and kittens? You get paid out of that money!
You have never disputed any facts, you only spout the party line of your company.
You never even tried to dispute that h$u$ wanted the Vick dogs killed, had the dogs in NC killed, lied about the Vick dogs, lied about Fay and shall we talk about the law suits against your company? How about the fake badges? How about the lobbying. How about the IRS investigation?
Show me where your vegan-in-chief has ever endorsed any animal product, even the most humanely raised.
Or maybe we should start slowly ... how many people get paid out of those donations, simply to counter the growing number of people who know that your company is one gigantic fake. How many pretend to be 'fans'?
Follow the money, folks!
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Hi Jessy - The HSUS has endorsed the Certified Humane label: http://www.certifiedhumane.org/index.php?page=humane-organizations. If you click on the link, you'll see a list of "Humane Society Partners" that includes the HSUS, ASPCA, WSPCA, and a number of shelters.
Following the money is particularly relevant when it comes to Brad's primary reference, an industry front group known as the Center for Consumer Freedom.
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/06/18/us/politics/18berman.html
www.bermanexposed.org
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Dear Hillary,
changing the subject does not help you.
Only h$u$ is responsible for their use of donations.
Nobody else.
How about the millions in the pension plans, how about the ca. 100 million in stock? How about the huge office buildings, how about the 30 something lawyers? And your salary ... all from donations from people who think their money is going to help animals. Yeah, RIGHT!
It's a fundraising mashine, nothing else.
So, are you telling me that you have recipes on your site that contain animal products??
How about that birdseed you sell as dog food?
Are you telling me that you guys did not lie when you asked for donations for the care of the Vick dogs - even though you did not care for them? Or that your company demanded the dogs to be killed (just like the dogs in NC). How about the (former?) ALF member?
Do you really believe that sales pitch??
Are you so accustomed to naive and gullable people that you think you can ride that wave forever?
Pet owners are waking up, they are watching, they are not taking the bovine manure any more.
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Oh, that is too funny. HSUS endorses the Certified Humane label. Of course it does. Farmers & ranchers pay HSUS to get that label.
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Attacking the messenger doesn't change the facts. I've known the truth about HSUS long before I ever heard of Rick Berman, HumaneWatch, etc. The truth does not become a lie because you don't like the source.
How about answering some questions Hillary, like how is it HSUS is running the Humane University when your charter forbids it ? How's that RICO case going ? How's Michael Vick doing ? How many of the Pit Bulls HSUS just confiscated in Ohio will be slaughtered ? Where is the evidence he was running a "major dogfighting operation" & that the dogs were abused & tortured ?
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Hillary, the "Certified Humane" label is a bit of nonsense BS invented by the AR organizations which means little or nothing, except that AR groups are working very hard to be allowed to manage all animal husbandry and animal law. However, when this happens, we'll have got to the place where the term 'animal ownership' has finally been defined to mean 'animal abuse', won't it?
This is NOT legitimate label, folks, and the producers who are using it are doing so to appease the AR groups in hopes of being left alone by them. This isn't going to happen, any more than the dog breeders - who have worked hard over the last forty years to appease them,without success - they are being persecuted harder than ever.
Hopefully agriculture will take a close look at that situation, and act accordingly.
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Actually, the only entity that can label a product, or assert to it wholesomeness or nutritional content is the USDA.
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This article is highly misleading. The HSUS was founded in the 1950s to work on animal welfare issues on the national scale. It has not founded and never has claimed to be an umbrella organization for local humane societies for companion animals. The HSUS looks out not just for dogs and cats but for ALL animals. In fact, the very first campaign it worked on led to the Humane Methods of Slaughter Act.
I don’t know about you, but most Americans want to know that the animals whose meat they are eating were well cared for in life and slaughtered humanely. That is not happening on today’s industrial farms. Battery cages, gestation crates, veal crates are all incredibly inhumane. The animals can barely move their entire lives and cannot express any natural behaviors. Most Americans are against this when they find out what is going on. By campaigning for more humane treatment of animals, the HSUS is only expressing what most Americans want.
As for Ohio, you have no idea what you are talking about. The HSUS never worked against the livestock care board. The ballot initiative it undertook this spring was to set minimum standards for the board to follow in issuing its standards. It was a way for the people of Ohio to tell the board what they want. And they did – volunteers collected over 500,000 signatures to put the initiative on the ballot in just three months, an all-time record.
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volunteers?
more like, you guys could not get your signatures with volunteers so h$u$ went to court to get PAID hacks to collect signatures.
You even imported campaign people from CA, set them up in an appartment to pretend to be an Ohio citizen.
Think nobody noticed?
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The poll you cite is also very misleading. Sure, people who don’t know any better might think the HSUS is an umbrella group for animal shelters. But most people have never been to their local animal shelter, nor have they visited the HSUS website. If you just go to the HSUS website, you can clearly see what they do. They do not hide the projects they are working on. Donors to the HSUS know what they do because they send us lots of messages telling us. When you do a poll that shows DONORS to the HSUS are confused, that might be worth considering.
As for the ads you mentioned in the opening to your column, every single image is from an HSUS rescue operation. Every week the HSUS helps local authorities rescue animals from fighting operations, hoarding situations, puppy mills, and more. They send in teams to remove the animals from these horrible situations, set up temporary shelter, and provide medical treatment so that the animals can be put up for adoption.
And let’s not forget the HSUS programs to provide spay/neuter for tens of thousands of dogs and cats every year, as well as its five animal care centers that provide direct care for more animals than any organization in the United States. I am so thankful for the work that the HSUS does every day, and so are the animals whose lives it saves.
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"They (HSUS) are state-of-the-art in legislation, education, shelter building, communications, and cruelty investigations and rescues." Well said, Anonymous. The reason the HSUS brings out a lot of negative reactions with animal ag groups is because The HSUS is the most powerful animal welfare group in this country; and through it's members, works on sponsoring legislation at federal and state levels to stop abuse and cruelty to animals. Jake, you are absolutely right about Rick Berman and the CCF, a misnomer if there ever was one. And to the guy who wrote this article, get your facts straight. Cruelty is cruelty and I will continue to donate my hard earned dollars to support the HSUS for that reason alone.
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hhmm... about those 'rescues'
you mean the ones where you storm in with fake badges, take all the animals, dump them in warehouses or barns somewhere for the local rescues or shelters to take care of and pay for their care? (and quite often that care is a heck of a lot worse than where they came from)
Wait!! Wasn't there something ... wait, wait!!
Aren't you being sued by at least 2 of those people you raided?
All that bragging on youtube about the raids ... makes it hard to back-paddle later when you get sued.
turns out in at least one case you went in with an illegal warrant.
And now donations are being used for lawyers to help you guys get out of this mess.
How about the RICO suit?
But I bet, a lot more people would sue you if they had the means. ;-)
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How are they FAKE badges? They have to be sworn in by a judge to wear those badges.
And they don't DUMP animals onto other shelters. They ask shelters to participate in helping them, and the shelters either say yes or no. I would also argue that even the worst shelters still have a better mission statement than "I am going to kill this animal for fun/for sport/for meat/because I'm a socio-path."
Of course they get sued! Every single organization has people who want to sue. Police get sued for bad arrests, firefighters get sued because they break stuff saving lives, and animal rescuers get sued because people don't want to lose their property. Duh. Who cares if they are being sued? That means nothing. Rednecks love to sue...they are lazy and want to get easy pay. Those raids cost backyard breeders, cruel researchers, and puppy mills millions of easy dollars, so of course the rednecks and thugs are suing trying to win back their "hard-earned money."
You are right though, a lot more people would sue if they had the means, but they wouldn't just choose the humane society.
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@ Anonymous, any idiot can buy a badge & pin it on themselves. I could get one that said Official Belly Button Lint Inspector. HSUS had badges made up for themselves. There's nothing legal about it & they hold no power. HSUS is not law enforcement or a government agency. They are nobody & have absolutely no right to step foot on private property. Too many people don't realize this & don't know they have the right to tell HSUS to get off their property. The whole point of HSUS commandos wearing badges & their SWAT wannabe costumes is to intimidate & give people the impression they are some type of police. HSUS is being sued right now for "raiding" a man's hunting dog kennel without a law enforcement agency with a valid search warrant.
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Problem is that HSUS is not an animal welfare organization, HSUS is a vegan organization, and is not in any way friendly to animals. The vegan goal is to eliminate all animal products and animals from human lives. All ... food, clothing, companionship, exhibition, working animals. All. In other words, it exists to liberate the animals from human slavery.
If you doubt that, please read the things the upper management of various AR groups has said over the years:
http://www.naiaonline.org/body/articles/archives/animalrightsquote.htm
There is other good information at that naia site, and other places to discover the truth about the various animal interest groups. Sadly, many animal rights groups do not truthfully describe their mission. HSUS is one of them.
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@Lynn - If the HSUS is so dead-set on eliminating animals from people's lives, why do so many of our employees (myself included) have pets? Why are there staff members who volunteer with local shelters and rescue groups, foster homeless animals, and rehabilitate wildlife? Why does our organization have a "dogs in the workplace" policy?
There are certainly many staff members who are vegan, and others who are not. But the more relevant question is, "What does the HSUS factory farming campaign focus on?" The answer is simple: it fights for improved animal welfare in industrial agriculture.
According to SourceWatch.org, the National Animal Interest Alliance (NAIA) is "a front group and industry funded lobbying organization for animal commerce and agribusiness" (http://sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=National_Animal_Interest_Alliance).
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@Hillary .. Straight from the horse's mouth:
"I don't have a hands-on fondness for animals ... To this day I don't feel bonded to any non-human animal. I like them and I pet them and I’m kind to them, but there's no special bond between me and other animals." Wayne Pacelle, Bloodties: Nature, Culture and the Hunt by Ted Kerasote, 1993, p. 251.
“We have no ethical obligation to preserve the different breeds of livestock produced through selective breeding ...One generation and out. We have no problems with the extinction of domestic animals. They are creations of human selective breeding.â€
Again, Wayne Pacelle — Animal People News, May 1993
Pets are domestic animals, are they not?
Also: When asked if he envisioned a future without pets, “If I had my personal view, perhaps that might take hold. In fact, I don’t want to see another dog or cat born.†Wayne Pacelle quoted in Bloodties: Nature, Culture and the Hunt by Ted Kerasote, 1993, p. 266.
Doesn't really sound all that supportive of animals and animal lovers to me. But since most of HSUS funding comes directly from pet owners and lovers, I'd be very surprised if he was willing to tell them up front that their pets were in his vegan sights. Would seem like pretty poor tactics to me.
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Lynn, If you truly believe the stuff you write, you probably believe the Jewish holocaust never happened.
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Haha! Well said! Lynn and Jessy are just ignorant rednecks who hate that they may have to learn a new trade some day. "Aw shucks, Ma and Pa! You mean we CAN'T keep animals still for years? We have to do what??? Let them WALK AROUND??? What nerve!! Now what am I gonna do for fun? WE'RE NOT ALLOWED TO COW-TIP ANYMORE EITHER??? This is the fault of dem-dare ANMAL-ROTS people!"
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@freestate1 - sure I believe in the Holocause. Hitler was an AR activist. Maybe you didn't know that.
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How about honesty in fundraising ? HSUS ran a campaign asking for money to help care for the Michael Vick dogs. HSUS never had a SINGLE Vick dog in it's care. HSUS used the story of a horribly injured Pit Bull named Fay to ask for money. They lied & said they were caring for Fay. They were exposed by the rescue that actually had Fay & they parted with a measley $5,000 towards her many surgeries & treatments. Public outcry was tremendous. They lied about Mouse the horse injured in the Obama inauguration parade. They claimed he was seriously injured & that they had him & were getting him treatment. The truth was Day's End Horse Rescue in MD had Mouse & his injuries were very minor. How about all the "puppymill" raids they publicize ? They show you all the sad footage & send you emails asking for donations. HSUS does not operate a single shelter. They ARE NOT associated with any of your local humane societies. All the confiscated animals are distributed out to whatever shelters & rescues that will take them. They DO NOT get the donations sent to HSUS. Have you ever seen an HSUS ad asking you to donate directly to whoever actually has the dogs & is footing the bill ?
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Wayne Pacelle is a legend in his own mind & is slicker than any crooked politician I've ever seen. He surrounds himself with minions that are former members of PeTA & ALF, both groups have been designated as terrorists. People like Hillary are paid to patrol the internet looking for articles to respond too. Those of you supporting & defending HSUS need to educate yourselves. Read Nathan Winograd's No Kill Nation blog. Google Wilkes County massacre. Read the KC Dog blog. Look at HSUS's tax return. You'll see how they donate to PeTA who in turn paid for the defense of ALF arsonists.
HSUS is going state by state & trying to cut off farmers & ranchers at the knees. This huge issue with eggs is a perfect example. HSUS does not support any type of housing for hens. There have already been farmers who have spent incredible amounts of $ to comply & HSUS has told them it's still not acceptable. Dr. Temple Grandin has recommended standards for egg producing operations. HSUS says they don't even agree with her. Where exactly are HSUS's animal welfare experts ? HSUS has over 30 lawyers on it's payroll, can you tell me Hillary, how many real working farmers & ranchers it has contributing to all it's expertise in agriculture ? Has Wayne ever spent a day on an actual farm ?
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Tina T- Those are some very good points. What degrees/ experience in animal production does anyone at the HSUS have Hillary? You've stated that the HSUS does not have an agenda of eliminating meat animals, so I ask you, what knowledge or education does anyone at your organization have that allows them the right to have any say in the production methods used by farmers? Your organization fighting to eliminate gestation crates in hog production is absurb, it would create the most inhumane treatment of these animals I can imagine. Who at your organization has the proper education, or at least general knowledge, or hogs to propose this? To the person who made the redneck comments, and attempts to belittle farmers, it is you my friend that has a serious lack of intelligence if you allow yourself to fall for the propaganda that these factory fundraisers use. Farmers with both livestock and crops use such advanced technologies it would boggle your easily manipulated mind. So again, Hillary, please state the credentials anyone at your organization has that would grant them any "expert" status on the production of livestock, and don't use the typical AR BS line asking me, " would you like to be in conditions like that?", because I am not a chicken, cow, hog, or elephant, I'm a human.
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Hillary I regularly look at your website for amusement. HSUSs reporting of the Ohio dog seizure contains clear factual inaccuracies and the word is spreading like wildfire. No one but HSUS is identifying these dogs as being seized from a dog fighting operation. No one but HSUS. Why? Because it isn't true. How do I know? I know people on the ground actually working with the local rescues who are pulling these animals and doing the work of rehoming them.
So why the need to lie and kick the dog's owner now that he's down. Why accuse him of a heinous crime he didn't commit? Did he have too many dogs, yes he did. BUT, they have universally been evaluated as being social, friendly, in good condition with good coats and at good body weight and they're already being placed in foster care.
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And speaking of foster care and shelters and rescues. Every single shelter and rescue is asking for money to help transition these dogs to new homes - that means that HSUS has once again dumped a mass of dogs on local shelters and left them holding the bag - and that bag ain't got no HSUS money in it. HSUS is great at seizing dogs, rescue and hands on care of dogs and cats not so much. Which of course is not surprising since HSUS does not have one single dog or cat shelter. Not one.
So Hillary, when you and HSUS lie about something that is so easy to check, you lose any shred of credibility you may have had.
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Dearest Hillary,HSUS
According to two recent issues of the highly respected animal rights newspaper "Animal People" (HSUS advertises in it), the number of dogfighting arrests and related canine impoundments have both gone DOWN since the Michael Vick case. There were just 87 dogfighting arrests in 2009. In 2000, there were 297. Animal People also notes that dogfighting and cockfighting have not been reduced, the conviction rate is pitiful and the sentences weak. What gives?
Your HSUS fraudulently raised many millions of dollars for the direct care of the Vick dogs before the Virginia State attorney ordered you to cease and desist.
After the Vick fundraising scam and Wilkes County massacre outraged the legitimate animal welfare community, Pacelle and J.P. attempted to justify HSUS's actions by boasting of its unparalled effectiveness in fighting animal fighting. Pacelle said that HSUS was "better positioned to use funds" for the purpose than any other group. Hillary herself said on another blog that HSUS paid out 26 animal fighting rewards in 2008 and 30 in 2009. There were less than 56 convictions in that two year period and I cannot find any documentation in the most recent online IRS 990s of your group paying out any rewards. Care to explain? I look forward to your response.
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You have asked some extremely interesting questions re: the dogfighting rewards. Would you have any links with the info. I'd love to share it far & wide.
BTW, don't hold your breath for a legitimate answer from Hillary. She's very adept at avoiding the issues & giving non answer answers.
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I can't speak for anyone else, but I don't expect anything from Hillary (or Sarah, or the guy who is now Doing the Deed for HSUS on the forums), I write to her for other readers who may not yet have realized what HSUS really stands for.
I'm unaware of the dogfighting statistics, but I think we all need to realize that since these days an accusation is generally a conviction. I think the amount of actual dogfighting out there is seriously inflated, as is the abuse and neglect that HSUS is always exploiting to their own ends.
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@ Lynn, yes, I understand what you mean about an accusation being a conviction. Just like right now in the Ohio 200 case. HSUS has said the man is a dogfighter. I've seen no evidence of that in any of the pictures I've seen. I've fostered former fighting Pit Bulls & the signs are pretty obvious. I've also seen no signs of the abuse, torture & neglect he's being accused of. However, since HSUS has published this misinformation the man has been tried & convicted in the court of public opinion. Very sad.
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Dr. Temple Grandin recommends enriched cages for laying hens on egg production farms. Wayne Pacelle says no cage exists that gives hens the room to perform the behaviors described in the new CA. law. Dr, Grandin has years of education & experience in animal welfare. I'm pretty sure Wayne Pacelle has never taken care of a hen in his life.
http://brownfieldagnews.com/2010/08/20/growing-confusion-over-californias-egg-rules/
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With any luck, this situation with the chickens will clarify the situation in the minds of a lot of people. It is a fact that agricultural housing for chickens - or any other animal, from beef through sheep and ducks – or even for pets, will satisfy any animal rights organization.
Animal Rights organizations are not in any way friendly to animals. Their goal is to eliminate all animal products and animals from human lives. All ... food, clothing, companionship, exhibition, working anÃmals. All.
They seek to legally redefine the term 'animal ownership' to mean 'animal abuse', and there is no form of human management of animals which will satisfy them.
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Sorry - that first sentence should read:
With any luck, this situation with the chickens will clarify the situation in the minds of a lot of people. It is a fact that NO agricultural housing for chickens - or any other animal, from beef through sheep and ducks – or even for pets, will satisfy any animal rights organization.
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It's only a matter of time before breeding is finally outlawed, dog fighting ended, and hillbillies die off because they can't tip cows anymore or beat llamas. Go pray to the whitebread churches to have God keep allowing you to be ignorant Bush, Cheney, Palin-loving pricks. None of you have done any kind of real research into the HSUS nor do you truly understand how hard your local shelters work (and improve in their work because of the educational tools provided by HSUS). True animal shelters don't rely and beg HSUS for money, they rely on their own donations and use HSUS for resources on law, building better shelters, and learning how to deal with thugs and rednecks like yourselves. They are all trying to improve our society by thinking outside the box. What have you done for society lately? I hope the South gets wiped out by a Tsunami/tornado/hurricane/earthquake murder-death-kill apocalypse.
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Will Wayne's "1.3 million" California members save Barbara Boxer from reverting to Ma'm? Can his "440,000 Ohio members" save Ted Strickland? Will they be joining John Kerry, Rick Santorum, Chris Shays, George Allen, John Corzine, John Sweeney and all the other Humane Society-endorsed losers? Will any more HSUS sponsored legislators find themselves in the center of a scandal like John Ensign and David Vitter(sex/domestic violence issues); Jim Moran (anti-semitism, domestic violence); John Conyers (wife in prison).
Evil Dick Cheney can't wait to find out.
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