5 Shocking facts about the Humane Society of the United States

You know the commercials with the sad music and the close ups of malnourished kittens and emaciated puppies?

The one that asks you to give just $19 each month to help these poor animals in your area?

The Humane Society of the United States has been running commercials that tug on the heartstrings of animal loving Americans for years.

Some of you might have even called that 1-800 number and pledged your support with only the best of intentions.

If so, I am truly sorry to inform you that your money did not help those kittens and puppies.

Your money didn’t help run an animal shelter, it didn’t help rescued pets find homes and it most certainly did not end up in your community.

Your donation funded a lobbying group of animal rights extremists.

Shocked? Confused? Angry?

Brace yourself then, because it gets worse.

Here are 5 facts that will shock you about the Humane Society of the United States.

1. HSUS is NOT affiliated with any animal shelter

Don’t let the name “Humane Society” fool you, the Humane Society of the United States does not own or operate a single animal shelter.

HSUS is not affiliated with any animal shelters. They aren’t a distribution center for donations to animal shelters.

They use this imagery and continue the confusion surrounding the name “Humane Society” to trick people who want to help shelter animals and have no interest in animal rights extremism into supporting their cause.

2. Only 0.45% of HSUS’ operating budget goes to pet shelters

Less than half of a percent. That’s nothing!

What’s worse? The 2008 total operating budget of the HSUS was $99,664,400!

So to put it all in perspective: if you fell for those television ads asking for $19 each month you would be donating $228 per year.

Of that year’s donations, only $1.03 would actually go to an animal shelter.

3. HSUS opposes eating meat

No matter how it was raised, harvested or cooked, the folks at HSUS are against your right to eat meat. (And my right as a farmer to produce it, for that matter).

Though their spokespeople won’t always admit to it, the evidence is pretty clear.

HSUS created and distributes a “Guide to Vegetarian Eating.” The only food that HSUS endorses is “Tofurky,” a tofu product that is meant to imitate the taste and texture of turkey.

When top HSUS executives eat on expense accounts, they aren’t allowed to order meat.

Not that this is a problem for top exec’s at HSUS, since Wayne Pacelle took over the organization he’s filled those spots with only vegans, most of whom have long careers of anti-meat activism under their belts.

4. HSUS cashes in on natural disasters

After Hurricane Katrina, HSUS raised $34 million dollars that they said would help reunite lost pets with their owners.

When little of that money ended up back in Louisiana, the state’s attorney general launched an 18 month investigation into the HSUS money trail.

When the investigation was announced, so was HSUS’ plan to donate $600,000 toward an animal shelter being built at a state prison.

Coincidence? Not hardly!

In 2009, Atlanta ABC affiliate WSB-TV did an expose about HSUS’ Katrina related donations. According to their report, only $7 million of the $34 million collected actually ended up helping animals in the hurricane stricken area.

Since Katrina, HSUS hasn’t changed their ways at all.

After both the tsunami in Japan and the hurricane in Haiti, HSUS released new commercials saying their “rescue workers” are in desperate need of financial support.

If so little of the funds HSUS raised for Katrina actually helped animals in the disaster area, how much less will end up helping these animals in overseas disasters?

5. HSUS works with convicted dogfighter Michael Vick

Let me start by saying that in my opinion, Michael Vick has no business being around, let alone owning an animal.

You would think a professional athlete turned animal abuser would be HSUS Public Enemy Number 1.

Not the case.

In 2009, the Philadelphia Eagles gave HSUS $50,000 to bring their “End Dogfighting Campaign” to Philadelphia.

Who was the keynote speaker? Michael Vick.

Confused? Me too!

While still in prison, Vick met with HSUS President Wayne Pacelle and agreed to work with the group to help keep kids from getting involved in dogfighting.

According to HSUS, they’re “rehabilitating Vick.”

Ironic, considering that HSUS launched a fundraising campaign the day after Vick’s arrest to “care for the dogs seized in the Michael Vick case” but then admitted to the New York Times that they didn’t have custody of Vick’s dogs and that they couldn’t be rehabilitated.

HSUS, a group that claims that all animals deserve the same rights as people, recommended that all of Vick’s dogs be euthanized by federal authorities.

Other animal groups insisted that Vick’s dogs could be rehabilitated. In fact, the Best Friends Animal Society sued both HSUS and PETA for recommending that the dogs be euthanized. Today, BFAS is one of the groups rehabilitating 22 of the dogs.

HSUS is still cashing in on Vick’s celebrity status. Vick speaks at HSUS sponsored events, even going so far as to auction off his press conference notes.

Pacelle is even trying to convince people that Vick should be allowed to have a dog again, saying,

“I have been around him a lot, and feel confident that he would do a good job as a pet owner.”

Shocked? I was too.

When I first learned that this is what HSUS does with their donations, I was outraged.

I made it my mission to share the truth about HSUS with farmers, pet owners and animal lovers everywhere.

Today, we have a great resource for keeping tabs on HSUS called Humane Watch.

Operated through the Center for Consumer Freedom, Humane Watch exposes the truth about HSUS using public records and compiling information in a way the average person doesn’t have time to do.

Give them a “like” on facebook or a follow on twitter to keep up with their latest finds.

Most importantly, don’t waste your money on the political agenda of HSUS, donate to your LOCAL pet shelters!