Dog Community

Finding the truth about HSUS

Posted : 5/2/2009 8:48:11 AM

I've noticed there's a lot of false information here about the Humane Society of the United States. I don't know if that's because people are purposely trying to mislead others, or if they just don't know where to find true information.

"Does HSUS support shelters and local humane societies? Do they oppose pet ownership? Are they opposed to breeders?" The truth isn't hard to find, if you know how.

Take this claim: "HSUS doesn't support or provide money to animal shelters or local humane societies."

This claim is easy to prove false if you know where to look. In the United States, every non-profit is required to submit Form 990 to the IRS every year. This form details exactly where that non-profit's money goes.

If you look at HSUS's 990s, you see that every year HSUS provides large amounts of money to local humane societies and shelters across the country. Some local humane societies even receive hundreds of thousands of dollars from HSUS!

You can get HSUS's 990 forms off their website:

http://www.hsus.org/about_us/annual_reports_financial/annual_reports_financial_statements.html

It would be illegal for HSUS to post fake 990s, but if you don't trust anything off the HSUS website, Foundation Center is an organization that makes it easy to read non-profits' 990 forms:

http://dynamodata.fdncenter.org/990s/990search/ffindershow.cgi?id=HUMA328

If you work for a local shelter or humane society, you can apply for financial assistance from HSUS. There's information on their "Animal Sheltering" website:

http://www.animalsheltering.org/

This website has many other resources for local shelters and humane societies. HSUS provides consulting services to local shelters to help them improve or expand. HSUS also runs Humane Society University, which offers courses and workshops for animal care professionals.

One of the strangest claims you'll see made about HSUS is that they "oppose pet ownership."

One of HSUS's largest campaigns is called "Pets for Life." This campaign actually encourages pet ownership, and specifically, helps pet owners overcome problems so that their pets are "pets for life" and not brought to a shelter.

HSUS writes, "Sharing your life with a companion animal can bring incredible rewards, but only if you're willing to make the necessary commitments of time, money, responsibility, and love—for the life of the pet."

You can read about the "Pets for Life" campaign here:

http://www.hsus.org/pets/pet_care/our_pets_for_life_program/index.html

So, if HSUS is opposed to pets, why would they explicitly encourage pet ownership?

Another claim you'll see is, "HSUS is opposed to breeders."

It's true that HSUS encourages adopting pets from a shelter above all else, but they also distinguish between "good" and "bad" breeders, and actually encourage people to buy pets from good breeders. They even put out a pamphlet titled, "How to Find a Good Dog Breeder":

ttp://www.stoppuppymills.org/pdfs/how_find_good_breeder.pdf

If HSUS is opposed to breeders, why would they tell people to buy dogs from breeders?

HSUS runs many other great programs, too. They offer resources for vets, including opportunities to lower their insurance and access to an information database. They also offer free veterinary services in rural or poor areas where these services might not exist or people have a hard time affording them.

You can read about these programs, or find out if their free vet clinic will be in your area, here:

http://www.hsus.org/hsvma/

There's a lot of false information on the web. You have to be careful what you believe, and if you're not sure, you should do some research of your own (and that doesn't mean just reading what some angry or confused people have posted on the web). Remember, you can see for yourself the millions of dollars HSUS gives to local shelters and humane societies by reading their 990 IRS forms:

http://www.hsus.org/about_us/annual_reports_financial/annual_reports_financial_statements.html

http://dynamodata.fdncenter.org/990s/990search/ffindershow.cgi?id=HUMA328

When you discover the truth for yourself, be sure to share it with others! That's the only way to fight the spread of false information.

DumDog

Posted : 5/2/2009 4:08:00 PM

were people comparing them to peta or something?

spiritdogs

Posted : 5/2/2009 5:49:32 PM

Perhaps if HSUS could be forthright about their real animal WELFARE activities, and hadn't hired Wayne Pacelle as the ED, this would not be happening;-) Even Nathan Winograd doesn't seem to have anything nice to say about him, and HE's at the forefront of the no kill movement - you would think they'd be pals, wouldn't ya?

I am surprised anyone would worry about what is said about HSUS on a message board when you consider that there are other groups doing much more to produce negative commendary on that organization:

http://www.consumerfreedom.com/news_detail.cfm?headline=2482

http://www.dogpolitics.com/my_weblog/2007/08/hsus-wayne-pace.html

http://www.pet-law.com/future/whatis.html

By the way, does HSUS sign your paycheck perchance? I don't quarrel with the good things they do, but they also do some pretty stupid ones, and ones that don't exactly help where help is really needed.

JohnnyBandit

Posted : 5/17/2009 2:22:12 PM

I have done my own research on HSUS.... Long before this thread. I am involved with Pet Owner Advocacy on a local and state level.

Yea the HSUS lists a lot of form 990 grant receipiants. But if you look at who they are, most of the larger ones are other animal rights and lobbyist organizations. Not shelters. The organization does throw a bit of money around but its a small portion of their revenue.

Here is what I have found out about them through personal research.

Well, after this statement you are not going to pay attention to what anyone says. But I will share some information with you.

First of all. HSUS is FAR from a MODERATE organization. They are a radical animal rights organization with hidden agendas. They raise huge amounts of cash and instead of spending it on causes that will benefit animals, they pay large salaries to their executive staff, spend more on fundraising than filters back into the shelters, and spend huge amounts of money on lobbying.

In 2007 (the last year tax returns that are available for public view) they took in a little over 84 million in cash contributions, another million or so in non cash contributions, made another 15 or so million dollars off of investments, for a total revenue intake of just shy of 102 million dollars. With year end total assets of a little over 204 million.

They spent a little over 4 million in salaries, 11 million or so in fundraising, and 3 million or so in "lobbying" (I will get back to lobbying in a minute)

They gave out cash grants to rescues and other organizations in the amount of a little over 6 million dollars that may seem like a lot. But if you look at the percentages of what they took in and what their total assets are, its a very SMALL percentage of revenue. Just about 5 percent of what they took in went back out. And about 3 percent of their total assets. They spent almost double the amount in fundraising than filtered back into shelters etc.

BUT IT GETS WORSE! As you scroll through the pages and pages of organizations that received this cash, you will see a bunch of small grants to rescues. From 2 to 10 thousand dollars. But every once in a while you see very large grants. All of those grants seem to be to organizations that are pushing an agenda rather than helping animals directly. A noticeable one was Californians for Humane Farms. They got a grant of about 1.3 million. That was the largest single grant I saw.

So the actual amount that filters down to directly helping animals is EVEN smaller.

The HSUS is supposed to be a 501(c) non profit organization. But they are making and holding a profit on investments and ventures, hoarding cash, paying high salaries and using very little of their money to actually help animals.

These are not the actions of a non profit organization. Non profit organizations are allowed to save money for the future but the amount that goes back out compared to the amount they take in is absurd.

These ARE the actions of a profit making venture.

People give to the HSUS because they think they are helping animals. But in reality they are lining the pockets of excutives, hoarding cash, making investments and paying lobbyists.

But no one needs to take my word for it. You can find their tax records right here.
http://www.hsus.org/about_us/annual_...tatements.html

IF the humane society would spend half of what they spent on lobbying and fundraising on a low cost spay and neuter program. IF they just spent 7 million dollars a year on such a program they could alter 70 THOUSAND dogs a year. (based on 100 dollars per animal)

Bottom line is the HSUS is not a friend to dogs or pet owners. They are a radical animal rights organization posing as an animal welfare organization. Anyone that thinks different is either being duped or has a hidden agenda. They are every bit as dangerous as PETA.... Probably more so in fact. They are better funded and fly under the radar because they have people convinced they are about animal welfare.

Anyone that wants to see first hand how far out there they are simply needs to google Quotes from Wayne Pacelles....

This alone would put a HUGE dent in the population of shelters.

Sunshinegirl

Posted : 5/20/2009 7:34:46 PM

Very interesting information. All I can say is that the dealings that I've had with our local Humane Society has been extremely eye opening and maddening. Several months ago they stopped their open door policy on animal turn-ins and now accept on an appointment basis only.....picking and choosing which animals they will accept. Why? So that they can keep their numbers down and thus claim to be a "no-kill shelter" (which doesn't exist anywhere - I don't care what anyone says) and have now qualified for thousand of dollars in additional funding due to this "no-kill" status. It's shameful........

They turn people away who might have no other alternative but to relinquish their pet, for whatever reason.... who are we to judge????? There are so many people struggling out there now and some can no longer care for their animals - many of you know my own personal struggles - and I would NEVER drop my girls off at the shelter, BUT not everyone feels the way we idoggers do about our "family members" and some fight to the end to keep them, only to run out of time and find themselves in a situation where they have no other option..... it's sad.... (I do not defend irresponsible people who just dump their pets out of laziness).....

So now this agency that is supposed to be there to help the community, is turning them away and don't tell me it's for lack of funding, that's bull*hit!!!! Our Humane Society has so much $$ in the bank it's embarrassing that they continue to hold their hand out for donations and then turn around and sell items that are donated for cash and fail to provide certain necessities to the animals in their care. I've seen it firsthand and I'm not one to keep my mouth shut. I tried, for a long time, to focus on the good that they do, but I've spent enough time there to understand that it all boils down to greed and egos. Sorry, but that's been my experience...... with our LOCAL organization...... that's all.....

erica1989

Posted : 5/20/2009 8:00:01 PM

Sunshinegirl
Sorry, but that's been my experience...... with our LOCAL organization...... that's all.....

Yes - and while I'm sorry you've had negative expierences with your HS on a local level - it has absolutley nothing to do with HSUS. They do not share anything with your local shelter, other than a name. I've dealt with your HS, and I really was less than impressed. I was promised phone calls back - and help - that I never recieved (rescue to rescue help). I was highly dissapointed in them, and very discouraged. Now - I can understant ending the open door policy. I could never imagine having one...with the amount of people out there that are less than stellar pet owners, no one organization can really take on all of those animals. All those cats and dogs with behavioral and medical problems have to be sorted through some how. For instance - we are housing a very dog aggressive dog right now, so we CANNOT take on another dog with behavioral problems - that would not end well. We can only afford to take on so many cats with medical issues - we have no choice but to be picky, because it's all we can honestly afford.

Now - if HSUS would provide more grants and such to local level shelters, I'm sure many non-profits would be sitting in a much better financial setting. We get our grants through the Florida Animal Funding - those spay/neuter license plates you see driving around funded our low cost/no cost spueter clinic for cats.

I've had dealings with HSUS for inspections and such at the shelter I used to work with. And while they do provide some good education (and I'm using those terms very loosely) and information on how to improve your shelter - they pretty much leave it at that.

I always am first to tell people to be sure and donate on their local level - where they can really see their monies at work.