People are Confused About Who HSUS is, and what they do

Yesterday, the Center for Consumer Freedom announced the results of a study they did that essentially says that 7 out of 10 Americans are confused about what role the Humane Society of the United States plays in animal welfare.

According to their study, which involved 1,008 Americans:

79% of people are either very or somewhat familiar with HSUS

71% Think HSUS is an ubrella group that represents local humane societies around the country

63% Think their local humane society is affiliated with HSUS

59% think HSUS contributes most of its money to local organizations to care for dogs and cats.

48% thinks their local humane society receives financial support from HSUS.

The reality, of course, is that all of these people are wrong. HSUS does none of those things. And while it would be easy to dismiss CCF's study because, well, the CCF has an agenda to stomp on HSUS, I can certainly say that this research passes my sniff test. I can't even tell you how many times I've had the conversation with people telling them that the local shelters are not affiliated with HSUS (or, by the same token, local SPCAs are not affiliated with the ASPCA) that this information certainly passes my sniff test.

What may be worse than the countless dollars that are donated each year to the Humane Society of the United States believing the money will go to local shelters -- is that, in my opinion, this is EXACTLY what HSUS wants people to believe.  And that's just wrong.

I've written about this recently, but the way HSUS raises money is disingenuous (at best) in leading people to believe that the money is going to help animals cared for at local shelters. Incidences where HSUS has sent out email donation solicitations that seem to purposefully lead people to believe that they are caring for dogs kept at local shelters when they really aren not. Recently they've solicited money to "Care for the dogs seized in the Michael Vick Case" even though the dogs were in the actual care of other organizations, and to help save thousands of animals "just like Fay" -- even though neither Fay, nor any of the dogs confiscated with here, were being cared for by HSUS.  The last case was particularly disturbing because the solicitation email went out the Monday after a Time Magazine article was published focusing on the dogs from this Dog Fighting Bust and the role the Humane Society OF MISSOURI was playing in the care of these dogs.

Last week, HSUS sponsored their annual Spay Day -- which was forcasted to have over 600 organizations offering free or low-cost spays and neuters for dogs. However, if you read the fine print, it looks like only 11 of the 600 organizations actually received grants from HSUS -- the rest foot the bill on their own or with help from other organizations.

This is an organization that spends roughly $39 million a year in promoting itself for fundraising and other strategic communication....it seems as if it would be impossible for people to be so confused as to what it was HSUS did....unless it was sort of intentional that people were confused.

And that's my beef. People are confused. Yes, we could (and should) hold people accountable for not using the internets to be able to understand what organizations do with their money -- but more importantly, we need to continue to push HSUS to be honest in their fundraising tactics so that when people donate money to HSUS, they know it is going for legislation activites and for buying stock in fast food restaurants, and not much is going to support animals that are in local shelters.

If you are out there and want to give money to help you local shelters -- then by all means, it's a great way to help animals in your local community. But please, just give $$$ to them at the local level.

Comments

[PetDocsOnCall09]

Well said! One thing I have noticed recently is that HSUS has been pretty silent. Wayne Pacelle sent out one email blasting HumaneWatch.org but that has been it. I think that they are reeling right now and really unsure where to turn next because their sham has been uncovered!

[Dawn]

I am completely sickened by their extremely emotional commercials with Wendy Malick! I look at those animals and know that they are representations of what is going on all over the country and while the HSUS cashes in on people's desire to help animals in desperate need, the HSUS does little to actually free them from their suffering.

[selwyn marock]

I do not think one can get HSUS to change their name albeit they are defrauding the American public,why do the Humane societies change theirs "Animal Welfare of Missouri"etc.and then explain themselves to their public,that should put a dent in HSUS's Scam.

smarock10@yahoo.com

[Louise McGannon]

HSUS has never, ever claimed that local humane societies are under them. HSUS does a lot of good. I have spent many weeks on Indian Reservations in South Dakota helping HSUS spay/neuter dogs and cats.

Please do not ruin their reputation because you do not understand their names. That is all it is--names.

[Brent]

Louise,

I do understand their names -- but if you read the links that I posted, the majority of people DON'T understand their names....which I think is part of HSUS's plan. I realize that they have never said they represent local humane societies, but if you clicked on the links, you'll see two actual, real examples of them implying that they do by asking for donations to help animals that are actually in the care of the local humane societies.

I'm not saying they don't do good work -- some of their work really is good -- but they aren't honest in their fundraising tactics and, in my opinion, are deliberately misleading people into giving them money for initiatives they are not helping.

[Rinalia]

Brent - the rational one! :) Thanks for presenting the flipside to my rant.

I don't disagree with the survey results. They make sense.

I just wish it hadn't been such a yucky group funding the survey! Sometimes I can be rational when it comes to CCF, but then I read about how they smear the good names of board-certified, peer-reviewed journal producing, bright scientists because, for example, they dare to claim mercury in fish is bad. And then I get all mad. And write rants.

I would not be adverse to HSUS including a disclaimer in any fund-raising effort involving dogs and cats. A little blurb that says they aren't directly affiliated with your local humane society. That might help.

[Brent]

I agree on CCF to a point. I always check out the stuff they send out because I'm suspicious of them. I've seen only a few things from them that have not been mostly accurate although always one-sided.

It's interesting you mention the Mercury in fish thing. I've been doing quite a bit of research on this issue for completely unrelated reasons. It does seem that there is a lot of misinformation about the subject out there -- and that is never a good thing. It does appear that yes, if you ate fish at virtually every meal, and ate only the high mercury fish, you could consume enough mercury to cause yourself some problems. But the vast majority of people don't come anywhere close to eating a dangerous amount, and in fact, because they don't eat enough fish, our diets are missing out a lot on Omega 3s (grain-fed beef vs grass fed beef is a culprit here as well), protein and Vitamin D.

[EmilyS]

Rinalia, HSUS isn't about to include any disclaimers in their fundraising efforts. Their deceptive tactics are planned and deliberate. They are called on it constantly.. when caught they make some pathetic gesture that buys off the complainers (like the paltry donation for Fay's care) while continuing their deceptive tactics.

They know exactly what they are doing. They're not fools.. but they are liars and cheats.

[Rinalia]

Brent, CCF doesn't smear those producing misinformation - they want to quash ANY discourse that their funders don't want to see (and you never get to see who their funders are, non profit status, yo). Yes, you'd have to eat a lot of fish to get mercury poison...but not an egregiously large amount. CCF suggests you just eat as much as you want.

Village Voice does a good job of presenting CCF's spin on the matter (everyone who hates PETA's in your face ads has got to read the radio ad CCF made, it's hilarious): http://www.villagevoice.com/2006-01-10/people/mercury-in-fish-baloney/

My only point is that CCF does not care about you. They do not care about animal welfare. They certainly don't give an iota that their suggestion pregnant women eat 3-5 lbs of mid-level mercury-laden fish a week (way more than moderate FDA suggests) might seriously impair their health.

EmilyS: I didn't say they *would* add a disclaimer, just that I think it's a reasonable approach. I mean, at this point, I don't think it would hurt their chances of getting money. They're a pretty well oiled machine when it comes to fund-raising, as much as folks may dislike that.

[Charles]

Rinalia -- I have to disagree. CCF is edgy, witty, and clever, And their science checks out. You may not like it, but facts are often stubborn and uncomfortable things.

[MichelleD]

"Indian Reservations in South Dakota helping HSUS spay/neuter dogs and cats."

This seems to be another already established program H$U$ bought with a little funding - just like Tio Hardiman's program in Chicago. While http://www.ruralareavet.org/ is exactly the kind of program they should be using their funding for...on the grand scheme of things is a drop in their fundraising bucket.

[Barbara Saunders]

I posted my thoughts on this a while back (link from my name goes to the specific post) - after feeling really burned by HSUS' behavior during and after Katrina.

[sara]

Ruralvet is an outside, California-based, mostly volunteer program HSUS acquired several years ago. RAVS needed administrative and fundraising assistance, as well as tax-exempt status; HSUS wanted an image-polishing program they could turn into a cash cow. When Pacelle gets caught lying, he brings up how many free treatments HSUS has provided to poverty stricken Appalachia and how many sterilizations they have performed (using volunteers and many donated supplies.) He can raise half a million for ruralvet through the Spay Day photo contest and even more through the Animal Rescue Site. They even had Pilot Travel Centers collecting employee contributions for rural vet and foreclosure pets until the company was educated about where the money really goes.

All of these noble projects reinforce the misperception that HSUS donations help fund local shelters instead of going from one pocket to another.

Charitywatch and ABC-TV once did an investigation on scam charities and stated that it is perfectly legal for organizations to raise money for a cause and spend as little as 1% for the intended purpose. (That is another reason Humanewatch is so valuable.) Only one group the American Institute of Philanthropy/Charitywatch.org exposed got in trouble and that was because they gave nothing at all. One con artist laughingly spoke of his plan to start "United Pet Way" and extract huge sums of money "to save shelter pets from death." Pure fundraising gold.