Do you know the real PETA and HSUS?

This has been a topic I've wanted to address for quite some time, but honestly, this isn't something I know enough about to really justify posting anything.

However, I had someone send this article to me that does as nice a job of summarizing the situation in a clear, and rational manner.  The article appeared in the March, 2007 issue of the Rocky Mountain Wrinkle, the newsletter of the Centennial Chinese Shar Pei Club.

The point of the article is to let people know the true goals of several organizations, primarily HSUS and PETA -- but there are others. 

If you're not actively involved in the Animal Welfare, don't discount me as crazy. I had always kind of suspected that PETA was a bit crazy, but was very suspicious of people who called the Humane Society of the United States evil.  The Humane Society was great -- they were the shelter in my home town. They loved animals.

Unfortunately, the local Humane Societies, and the HSUS are in no way similar. 

I write this to encourage you to know what organizations stand for before donating money to them.  A lot of them are VERY good at fundraising, but their motives, and the ways they spend their money, are far from what most people think they are. 

In general, if you want to give money to help needy animals, I encourage you to support local shelters and rescue groups in your communities.   

You can read the article here -- and I highly encourage you to do so. 

Comments

[MichelleD]

The ASPCA has been very good to us - KC Dog Advocates. Ledy Van Kavage has spoke at our conference and a seperate seminar to help fight BSL in KC - on ASPCA's dime. Also was interviewed by Gene Fox on BSL. Just wanted to point that out so they don't get lumped into the big natl AR orgs...

[Caveat]

Good article, thanks for the link.

People need to know there's a big difference between AW (such as the ASPCA, American Humane) and AR (Peta, HSUS, Best Friends) etc.

The former have animal welfare first in mind; the latter control and the elimination of domestic animals.

I don't know which 'wild' the AR gang has in mind for dogs but if they find it, I hope they'll draw a map so we can all move there.

I'd love to see them cut off at the knees financially and have the money directed to Welfare groups.

[gale]

I know our group suffered from confusion as HSUS made claims to a dog name Fay. There fundraising techniques was quite unsettling and rude after her death. I actually received emails telling how great it was that 1.2m was raised for Fay...Really? I had to email her back and tell her wrong group...she donated to the group that used her face for lobbyist not for Fay's care.

[Regina Balvanz]

I would say that if HSUS and PETA are raising money to put puppy mills out of business, they are probably doing what the majority of their supporters want them to do. I believe that most people who really love animals do not support breeders or pet shops anyway, they adopt.

[Brent]

Regina -- out of curiosity, without breeders, where would the animals that these groups claim to love come from?

[Regina Balvanz]

Brent, you make a good point but I very much doubt that breeding will ever end. It's my opinion that breeding the animals when there are needy animals in shelters is careless; with the exception of working breeds used for their intended purpose. It would be my wish that people get away from purchasing dogs or cats because they want a status symbol and get them because they want to provide a loving home. If the specific breeds were to fade out, that would be fine with me.

[Brent]

Of course we all want people to get animals so they can be in loving homes.

I think if you look at most bred dogs, and compared them to the types of dogs in shelters, you'd note that there is not a lot of overlap between them. When "puppy mills' get busted, its almost always toy breeds, spaniels, small terriers, specialty breeds, etc that are not common in shelters.

I'm not sure what your point is about specific breeds fading out is....other than a seemingly a way to justify killing all of a certain type of dog so they don't exist anymore.