Support local shelters
To the Editor:
The Humane Society of the United States claims to be the largest animal protection organization in the country. Its Web site states that 22 million Americans or one in every 289, donates to HSUS.
An examination of HSUS' 2008 tax return reveals that the group collected more than $86 million in contributions. The report from the Center for Consumer Freedom (www.consumer freedom.com/) shows that of those funds, $24 million went to raise more money; in other words, 28 cents of every dollar HSUS collects goes to raising more funds.
Another $30.9 million went to employee salaries with 41 HSUS employees making more than $100,000 annually. Based on Center for Consumer Freedom research, only $450,000 ... just one half of 1 percent of its total budget ... went to organizations that provide hands-on care to dogs and cats.
HSUS is a humane society in name only – it operates no
pet shelters or adoption facilities. HSUS funds no
research on farm animal care, despite the fact that they claim that this is a problem. HSUS is not
your local shelter, and does not support your local shelter in any way.
The true agenda of HSUS is to eliminate all animal agriculture, end all meat and milk consumption and create a vegan society. They also want to end hunting, fishing and pet ownership, believing that animals should be viewed from afar and left to go back to their wild state. They pursue this goal by pouring millions of dollars into lobbying for laws that incrementally restrict farming methods, pet breeding and pet ownership. These laws are designed to make farming or animal ownership so expensive or restrictive that they eventually drive people out of business or give up on pet ownership or pet breeding.
Mandatory spay/neuter law proposals are flooding the country. Wayne Pacelle, CEO of HSUS, has stated, “One generation and out, I have no problem with the extinction of pets.”
If these laws are passed, where will the pets and service animals come from? Animal Rights groups such as HSUS, PETA, etc. don't really care as they don't believe that animals should be in servitude to humans.
We all support humane animal care, and there are already laws against cruel and inhumane animal treatment. Each state has such laws and doesn't need an outside organization such as HSUS coming in and telling farmers, hunters, dog breeders and others how to care for their animals.
Before you write out that check, please be aware of what will happen to your donation. If your intention is to help shelter animals directly, please donate to any one of Sheboygan County's shelters, or to the Breed Rescue of your choice.
And finally, a suggestion to animal welfare groups that really do care for the animals: Make sure the public understands that your primary goal is animal welfare and that you do not receive funds from HSUS, PETA, ASPCA or other such organizations and that you count on local donations to keep things going. A recent study showed that more than 70 percent of people donating to HSUS did so thinking it would help their local shelters. The public is very confused over the similar Humane Society names.
Mary Kistner, secretary,
Sheboygan Kennel Club
