HSUS Dupes Donors into Believing It Takes Care of Animals
by
May 15, 2008
HSUS is alive and well in Texas with the HSUS Southwest Regional Office in
Ft. Worth and the HSUS Spay/Neuter Clinic & Animal Wellness Center in
Dallas. HSUS has NO affiliation with the federal government nor with local
humane societies. Donate to your local animal shelters, not HSUS!
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U.S. Sportsmen's Alliance
Website: www.ussportsmen.org
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Cory Johnson (614) 888-4868 ext. 214
May 8, 2008 Sharon Hayden (614) 888-4868 ext. 226
Animal Rights Group Dupes Donors Into Believing It Takes Care of Animals
(Columbus) - When regional retailer, Meijer, received pressure from
sportsmen to sever ties with the animal rights extremists in the Humane
Society of the Unites States (HSUS), some questioned why the U.S.
Sportsmen's Alliance (USSA) acted to oppose the partnership.
"Most people simply don't know that the HSUS is actually an animal rights
organization that is opposed to any use of animals for the benefit of
humans," said USSA president and CEO Bud Pidgeon. "The public deserves to
know the hidden agenda behind this is to deceive them."
On April 24, 2008, HSUS, the world's largest animal rights organization,
announced a partnership with Meijer, a regional discount retail chain to
raise $5,000 for the organization's fund to address the purported problem of
abandoned pets as a result of the national home foreclosure crisis.
The USSA, a national organization founded to protect the rights of
sportsmen, responded with an alert asking hunters to contact the retailer to
protest the partnership. Meijer quickly responded by canceling the
arrangement. Since that time, some animal welfare activists have questioned
why USSA would oppose a partnership alleged to benefit pets.
The Washington DC-based HSUS, raised $100 million dollars according to its
2006 IRS filing. Despite a name that seems tailor made to animal shelters,
HSUS is in fact an animal rights organization. Its main function is to
change laws that permit Americans to gain any benefit from animals. It
advocates for restrictions on livestock farmers, bans on life-saving medical
research performed on animals and opposes zoos, circuses and rodeos. Of
course HSUS also opposes hunting. The HSUS does not operate or represent the
local dog and cat shelters that exist across the United States.
"With a name like the Humane Society of the United States, it's easy to see
why some people believe that there is a connection between it and local
animal shelters, which struggle every year to make ends meet," explained
Pidgeon. "HSUS spends the bulk of its money on making contributions to
politicians, lobbying, lawyers and expensive 30-second advertisements to
promote voter issues aimed at banning various uses of animals."
The Humane Society uses campaigns, such as the Meijer campaign, as a public
relations tool to help it raise its $100 million dollar war chest for its
animal rights crusade. Evidence of this is contained within its leadership.
Wayne Pacelle, CEO of the organization, is the former executive director of
the Fund for Animals, which was the nation's leading anti-hunting group.
Upon accepting the executive job at HSUS, Pacelle announced a merger with
the Fund for Animals and quickly hired its most ardent hunting opponents as
his top management staff.
The HSUS then swallowed several anti-livestock organizations, hiring their
leadership as well. Its takeover of the Doris Day Animal League has given it
access to Hollywood dollars, previously the home turf of the radical People
for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA).
Unlike PETA, however, Pacelle and HSUS are not interested in making a large
public relations spectacle using naked models or making outrageous
statements comparing the Holocaust to the slaughter of chickens. Instead,
HSUS has launched a series of campaigns that put it in a positive light with
animal lovers in general.
Such was the case in 2005, when HSUS created a fund to aid animals stranded
as a result of Hurricane Katrina. Later, the Louisiana Attorney General's
office launched an investigation of HSUS when allegations surfaced that the
money never made it to the pets in need.
In 2007 it launched a campaign to address the issue of so-called "puppy
mills," abusive large-scale commercial dog breeding operations. Using
sentimental images of suffering puppies, the organization is backing
legislation in Pennsylvania that would devastate small hobby breeders, dog
show kennels and sporting dog enthusiasts. The legislation is so radical
that it has been opposed by the American Kennel Club, United Kennel Club and
even dog rescue shelters in the state.
"Taking advantage of the American people's love for their pets, HSUS is able
to deceive donors and the public into believing that the organization is in
the mainstream of American values," said Pidgeon. "It is this mainstream
image that allows HSUS to raise its 100 million dollar budget to take our
hunting and fishing rights away. At the same time, by deceiving animal
lovers, HSUS robs financially strapped dog and cat shelters of critical
funds needed to actually look after abandoned and abused pets."
The U.S. Sportsmen's Alliance recommends that people who want to help real
animal shelters give to their local shelter organizations.
"Some animal rights groups masquerade as pet shelters, so donating to a
local organization gives the contributor the opportunity to determine how
their funds will actually be spent," said Pidgeon.
The U.S. Sportsmen's Alliance is a national association of sportsmen and
sportsmen's organizations that protects the rights of hunters, anglers and
trappers in the courts, legislatures, at the ballot, in Congress and through
public education programs. For more information about the U.S. Sportsmen's
Alliance and its work, call (614) 888-4868 or visit its website,
www.ussportsmen.org <http://www.ussportsmen.org/>; .
Responsible Pet Owners Alliance
900 NE Loop 410 #311-D
San Antonio, TX 78209
Phone: (210) 822-6763
Website: www.responsiblepetowners.org
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e-mail rpoa@texas.net.
Posted on May 16, 2008, 9:09 AM from IP address 12.74.204.220