ich
Landers of the Spokesman- Review (Spokane, Wa.) says that the smooth talking
Wayne Pacelle of the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) always seems to
have another angle. No doubt. Sustainable users of wildlife, wildlife biologists
and conservationists realize the empty policies and propaganda of the self-
serving HSUS have little relevance in actually conserving wildlife, and that
most of HSUS’s unscientific involvement in obstructing wildlife management,
has been to the detriment of wildlife. Now it is becoming increasingly apparent
to the animal welfare community and the public, that with the HSUS hogging the
animal welfare donations trough, it is getting tougher, not easier for them to
deliver humane programs at the "animal on the street level". So, who
is suffering here and who cares?
Here are some of the facts that Landers found out about the HSUS and their
solutions to making the world a better place for animals.
First, he points out that the Humane Society of the United States is not the
same critter as the Humane Society that does the thankless work of running local
animal shelters. The Spokane Humane Society verified that it receives no funds
from HSUS to care for the continuing epidemic of abandoned and abused pets.
In fact, Landers says that the HSUS, with assets of more than $100 million,
may be more of a detriment than a help to the local Humane Society shelters in
this state.
''People donate money to the Humane Society of the United States and they
think they're helping local shelters, but the money doesn't come to us,"
reported one shelter manager to Landers, who asked to remain anonymous. ''We're
always struggling for money."
The HSUS Comparative Financial Operations Report for 1999, a general
breakdown of income and expenses the group provides to media, indicates expenses
of nearly $55 million.
Landers reports that the highest single line item expenditure was
fund-raising - more than $16 million worth. A few years ago, HSUS was exposed,
thanks to the Washington Post and U.S. News and World Report, which diverged
from the press's usually sympathetic treatment of animal-rights groups. HSUS,
based in Washington, D.C., is the nation's largest animal advocacy organization.
In 1995, it had raised nearly $40 million from two million donors. Landers notes
that's enough money to run an animal shelter in every state and have plenty left
over to spay, neuter, feed and save thousands of cats and dogs every year.
However, HSUS did not run a single animal shelter.
HSUS was under investigation for illegal financial activity, according to the
Washington Post. Meanwhile, the chief executive, John Hoyt, earned $237,871 a
year plus perks amounting to tens of thousands more. The group's president, Paul
Irwin, earned $209,051.
Landers says this is why you don't see animal rights groups working with
wildlife biologists to solve management problems. There’s just no money in
actually delivering humane programs to "animals on the street" and
there’s none in real- life conservation either. Think of the lost
opportunities. Think of the lost and suffering animals. Kind of makes you wonder
where the "humaneness" in HSUS went? 
