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What the "Humane Society" of the United States does with your donations - SURPRISEPosted Thursday, February 25, 2010, at 8:20 AM
A friend recently sent me a link to this website:
http://www.consumerfreedom.com/news_deta... I love any type of animals and I would like to save each and every one of them, but even I know my limits. I can't afford any more than I have right now: 2 cats, 1 dog, 1 guinea pig, and 1 piranha (we started with 5, but the rest disappeared and he kept getting bigger). I try to support the local animal control and I think everyone should. Even if it means you buy a bag of cat/dog food and donate it. But it really chaps my you know, when I read this article. Almost none of the money that is meant to help the animals is actually going to the right places. Have these people lost sight of what the real agenda is? Well, maybe their agenda was to be rich while lying to us, in which case they have achieved it. Everything comes out during tax time. And the "Humane Society" of the United States (HSUS) is no exception to the rule. This seems more like a business and less like charity to me. Read the article...make your own decisions, but if you are going to give do it right here in Bedford County. I'm sure the Bedford County and Shelbyville Animal Control needs all the help you can give. Opinions anyone? Come on I know everyone has one. Comments Showing most recent comments first [Show in chronological order instead] |
Troxler, a native of Bedford County, lived in Shelbyville all her life, until recently moving to Unionville. She has three teenagers. She's an amateur photographer.
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I am NO FAN of ANY "Big $$$ Mother Org." who ALL could do so much more, and I have my own personal issues and differing POVs'with most of them, including and above all others, HSUS and PETA. However, any "reasonable mind" would have to, in all fairness, give credit where credit is due. We have the HSUS to thank for exposing not ONLY the horrific animal cruelty at the Hallmark / Westmoreland cow slaughter facility a few years back out in California, but we have them ALSO to thank for looking out for the safety of our food. And NOW, we have them to thank for this startling revelation;
Sick Pigs in Food-Chain "A-ok" with USDA, Standard Procedure, Farmers Say;
http://madcowhorses.blogspot.com/2010/03...
Thank you HSUS, and THANK YOU Yello-Tail Wine for supporting them!
http://www.thepetitionsite.com/1/support...
Mary, In the history of Shelbyville Bedford Co Humane Society(which is well over 30 years) noone has ever been asked for a 250 dollar donation. You may have misunderstood what was said. If thier adoption fee was set at a specfic amount it would be posted.Money isn't the most important thing to this humane society, the well being of the animal is. They work very hard to match the animal with the best possible home, therefore you have a happy animal and a happy family. This Sad and depressed lady you are speaking of has given more than 30 years of tireless service to the animals as well as the people of this county. Most people don't bring their child to visit a puppy untill they were sure they had been approved. These Ladies put in many hours every week rescueing, caring for, and finding loving homes for these animals. SDBCHA is the only NO KILL shelter in the area. I am happy you found a puppy at P.A.W.s that your family is happy with,but I can assure you that the Adoption process at our shelter will not change, we will always do what we do for the LOVE of the animals. GOD BLESS and have a good evening.
bobby60,
YOU ROCK!
However, as for your statement:
"What we should do is make them spend their money if they feel we need new laws."
I've got some sobering news for you, my friend.
Other than for the direct personal financial enrichment of a few key employees, the HSUS will ONLY spend its money where there is a chance to create new laws..... "THEY FEEL"......."WE NEED!"
So, be afraid.....Be very afraid!
First I would like to thank Ms Troxler for the article, Thank you.
Now let me see, OK. You know it is nice that we all here have been finding out what the HSUS and PETA are really up to and while it is nice to be part of this blog we are still neglecting the most important part of all this and that is to "Inform Our Legislators" to this fact. These two groups are making laws we do not need, so why don't we all call and write our elected officials and let them know just how we feel. We do not need any felony laws regarding our farm animals because you and I can not afford to pay any more new taxes that the HSUS & PETA want us to pay. What we should do is make them spend their money if they feel we need new laws. Also let our legislators know this is an election year :))))
Thank you and have a great weekend folks...
gottago,
I can see $250 being cheap for a rescue dog, as the rescuer is having to put so much time and money into the dogs which are mainly pedigrees.
But, $250 for a shelter dog who is of an uncertain breed is rediculous, especially when the competition is so great.
Bedford County Animal Control's fee is $65. When you have the animal altered, you get $50 of that back.
Shelbyville Animal Control's fee is also $65, but is broken up into vouchers. You get a $32 voucher for spay/neuter, and the rest for rabies. -If it hasn't changed since then.
There is also Craigslist.
When you go to adopt from the local H.S., all they ask for is a donation; no amount is posted anywhere. That is why we thought $50 was reasonable for a puppy who they did not have for only a week or two, and had not been altered yet.
When I asked the lady how much people give, that's when I about passed out. I think she was exagerating anyway. She said the amount really quietly, and turned her head when she said it.
If they want $250, then they need to post it.
If they want more adoptions, then they need to post a competitive price to match the other shelters in town, then ask the adopter if they would like to make a donation on top of their adoption fee. They also need to get some people in there to work who are enthusiastic about the animals and not so depressing.
-And the MAJOR thing they need to change is the adoption process! They DO NOT need to let a family come see the animals until they are approved!
If the family is not approved, then the HS worker needs to explain to them in detail why, and then offer the family a choice. The family can make a decision based on how much they want the animal. The choices can be to either change what the HS doesn't like, or to go somewhere else to adopt.
In our case, we were not approved because we had a previous dog we had to rehome. I tried explaining the reason why we had to rehome the dog (health reasons at that time), but she didn't care. If they would have called me to go over why we had to do what we did, then they would have understood that it wasn't because we couldn't handle the dog, or that we didn't love her, it was because we really, truely could not keep her at that time. The lady would have also learned that we were very picky about who took her; that we didn't just go and drop her off.
Their approach is rude and unfair, and they broke our hearts. It's no fun when your five year old is hyperventalating because he is so upset.
Like I said before, we are super happy now with our forever dog! =)
Really $250 for an adoption fee is not that much and we gladly paid it when we adopted our dog from a sled dog rescue in Indianapolis (esp when we thought we were going to have to plop down $2500 for a puppy)
It costs money for boarding,vet bills, medications, treatments,etc as boarding partners and vets expect to be paid for the costs incurred. Keep in mind these businesses are offering their services at an EXTREMELY reduced rate.
Home inspections are sometimes strict. Some don't allow dogs to be placed with smokers, in homes where all family members are gone several hours out of the day, or,depending on the case, with or without other pets.
Our application asked for household income as some pets can cost up to $200/ month with baths, shedding treatments, suitable food, medications (flea,heartworm), toys, obedience, etc. Many dogs end up in rescue/shelter/pounds because the previous owner failed to do his homework and became overwhelmed with the dog. Rescue workers endeavor to prevent a repetition of the same and go to great lengths to place the dog properly.
By no means am I saying that the previous poster would have been a bad fit, I just want to point out that the review process is sometimes very strict.
I just check comsumerfreedom.com humane society stinks come out now.
HUMANE SOCIETY IS GOING TO ILLINOIS TO CAMPAIGN BEFORE YOU SUPPORT THEM CHECK THIS SITE FIRST WWW.HUMANEWATCH.ORG THEN YOU DECIDE, AND REMINDERS PLEASE DO NOT DONATE ANY MONEY TO THEM , DONATE DERICTLY TO YOUR LOCAL HOME SHELTER THAT NEEDS OUR HELP, THANK YOU AND HAVE A GOOD ONE EVERYONE.
I am very happy that lots of people knows what is really going on about humane society they are fraud, I never donated humane society but i donate in our local shelter which is smart things to do, I told some people to log in the site of humanewatch.org and they were surprised to found out that humane society is only in name. PLEASE STOP DONATING MONEY TO THEM they are animal killers, what they did to animals they rescued is put them to sleep kill them, they dont want us to own animals and they dont want us to eat meat its because they are vegitarian, I own a farm and taking care of my animals rain or shine i was there to take care of animals I own 3 dogs give them shots, feed them, give all my attentions and honestly they were my babies.I am hoping this sites open peoples eyes and dont let humane society rob you.
UVilleGators,
This puppy had not been at the Humane's shelter long at all. The day she appeared on petfinder, I sent in my application and began to call. She had not been spayed yet, and had just started on her shots, so I thought $250 was very unreasonable. I wanted to only give $50 so I could buy her things she needed, take her to the vet to conitue her shots, and get her spayed.
The dog we ended up adopting came from the Rutherford Co. P.A.W.S. shelter and it was a GREAT experience! All we needed was to prove we owned our home, and they did all the research on that. If a person was renting, they had to talk to the Land Lord themselves to prove they could have animals.
It was a really great process. We walked in, picked a leash, and could walk and visit with any animal we wanted. All the animals recieved a dewormer, and their first shots upon arrival. Once you pay your $80 to adopt, they take the animal to a different kennel where visitors are not allowed. Here, the animals wait to be transported to a vet you have choosen in Rutherford Co. We chose Anderson's Vet Clinic on 231.
$32 of the $80 you paid to adopt covers the spay and neuter, and $11 of that 80 covers the rabies. With Anderson's we only had to pay an extra $5 to finish the cost!
You cannot take the animal home with you until it has been spay/neutered, and I really liked that! If you choose a dog or cat who has already been altered, then you get to take them home the day of adoption.
Everyone at that shelter was sooooo nice, and helped answer any questions I had about our soon to be puppy (he was owner surrendered so I wanted to know why).
Anyways, I find the Bedford County Animal Control and the City Animal Control here to be super nice, and viewed the dogs from their shelters before going to P.A.W.S. They had a ton of dogs and cats, but none that spoke to us like Dexter at P.A.W.S. =)
I just hope the Humane Society opens up a little bit more concerning who they let adopt. On top of having a horrible experience there, it was depressing, too! The lady we worked with was so depressed and sad looking. I don't think we ever saw her smile, or become upbeat about anything.
Mary, that is a bad story. Just a heads up, there is no flat fee to get a kennel dog. Shots, records and a lot of other things will increase the fee.
Some counties have "doggie auctions" and the rates are cheaper. Good luck to what you get. Cross breeds, half ate up pets, and animals that are left for dead"
Glad that you have a great pet.
Gezzz...Has anyone tried adopting from our local Humane Society? It was one of the worst expiences we have ever had!
My husband, three very young boys, and I, set up an appointment to go see a puppy. When we got there, we fell in LOVE with her! When it came time to "take her home," we get informed that we are not "approved" yet, and the puppy had a check up the next morning that they wanted to take her too.
I asked the lady how much the average person donates to adopt, and she said around $250!!! I guess she thought we had money, but I let her know real politely that we could only give $50.
So, she was suppose to call me the next morning to let me know how the puppy's doctor visit went. She never called me, but I started calling her at about 9am. I was going to offer to go with her and the puppy to the Dr and pay for it.
My boys were so excited. We truely fell in love with the puppy, but when I finally got her to answer the phone, she told me there were some things they didn't like on our application...and she would let me know when all three ladies made a decision.
By this time, I was offended, and very upset! We own our own home, have a privacy fenced backyard, was going to keep the puppy inside, etc. It was perfect!
Well, the next day, I finally get a voice mail from the main lady saying we are unfit, and they found a home better suited for the puppy (I still have the voicemail, as this was very recent). I'm sure they had a higher donation, too. Ugh!
I have to say my husband and I were VERY offended! These people made us feel like trash.
In my opinion, they are rude, and need to revise their way of doing things. They should not let families come to visit an animal until they are "approved." Some of those dogs have been there at least two years (that I know of!)! I honestly believe they are animal hoarders.
Sorry, I know my post is not about the funding of the Humane Society, but I thought I should warn anyone who wants to adopt. Don't waist your time.
Sorry, I don't normally talk trash about someone or a certain company, but this expirience really affected our family. On the positive note, we adopted the best dog from a Shelter in Murfreesboro, and are super happy!
Thanks for shining the light on H$U$.
In case you don't know, "humanewatch.org" was created to specifically to keep tabs on USHS. You might want to bookmark their page to keep up with USHS shenanagans.
I have to agree with you and i find almost all big charities are that way. I give locally to Humane Association, the animal control and the new spay and neuter clinic and to the local homeless shelter, etc. I want to see where my money is going or as you said buy dog food, blankets, cat food, cat litter, toys, beds, cleaners there is so many things you can donate.
Humanesarah,
I'm not sure whether your comments are just based on personal naiveté, or are the result of actually "drinking the kool-aid," the HSUS provided you? However, I do know that the "I actually work at the HSUS and wanted to clarify a few things" statement. Is really just like saying, "We are from the government, and we are here to help you." It just ain't credible!
I must say that the actions of your employer speak volumes more than any of their disingenuous words. Of course, given the fact that your very livelihood is reliant on the HSUS, it really is of no great surprise that you would seek to defend them here. As for your quote, "First, we make it clear on our website we are not affiliated with local shelters." I'd have to disagree that the HSUS website is "clear" about that at all. However, despite any disclaimer on your website, it still hasn't made its way into your television advertising and the ads suggestion that you actually SAVED, or ever will SAVE, the animals featured in your fundraising campaign commercial.
As for your comment regarding local shelters, "we work together on many occasions, and do a lot for them." Well, if using the local shelter's facility, employees, animals, and rescue efforts, for HSUS "photo ops" and as a pretext for fundraising that benefits the HSUS exclusively? Then yes, the HSUS is as doing a lot for them, like "helping" those local shelters right into bankruptcy, if not total oblivion!
Finally, I agree that you are "transparent in our work." It's just the shady rationale you use and the purposely obscured objectives you do it for, that I object too.
Meredith, Thanks for the expose'. I for one will have to admit that my heartstrings have been tugged by the commercials showing the results of abuse to the kittens and puppies. It is this kind for false advertising that hardens our hearts toward all legitimite organizations.
Hi Meredith, I actually work at the HSUS and wanted to clarify a few things. First, we make it clear on our website we are not affiliated with local shelters, however we work together on many occasions, and do a lot for them. You can see more about that here http://www.humanesociety.org/animal_comm...
We have been given excellant ratings by Charity Navigator and the Better Business Bureau as well as ranked among the top ten most fiscally responsible charities.
We are transparent in our work, and I recommend anyone with questions check out our website - http://humanesociety.org
Thank you for taking a stance which is sure to be unpopular with many people. I hope your article has opened some eyes about the truth behind the HSUS. These people show a picture of a cute puppy or kitten or of a horribly abused dog locked in a cage and ask for money, yet do nothing to help animals in need! The REAL heroes are the people who work in shelters who actually DO work with these animals, trying desperately to help them with what little money they have.
Please people, do NOT donate money to the SPCA or HSUS! Give it straight to the shelters in your area who are actually doing something to help!
Meredith-
I applaud you for helping make the US realize that there is "more than what meets the eye and the heart" when you see the HSUS commercials. The truth about them is "uglier" than what pet owners and food animal producers would ever consider doing. I think a great follow-up study would be an investigation of the daily lifestyles comparison of the people slaving away in rain, snow, freezing cold, or blazing heat to take care of the animals and provide every American with a wholesome and sustainable supply of nutrients to those of the HSUS consitutients in their luxury homes and controlled atmosphere offices. If they cared they would use there money to help out people and animals a like, not just themselves.
We all have a responsibility to expose HSUS for what it really is. Thanks for your help - I'll be passing this on.
Great post! I wish more people knew what HSUS really does with the donations people give them. Give local!
I think you've hit the nail on the head. Almost none of the $$$ goes to the cute kittens and dogs that promote much of their fundraising.