As an aside, do not, I repeat DO NOT, send money to the HSUS for this. The Vick dogs are NOT in their care.
Permission to crosspost...
The Humane Society of the United States has mounted a huge campaign to raise money to care for the dogs rescued from Michael Vick's dogfighting ring. The plea comes complete with a heartbreaking picture of one of the injured dogs. (Not surprisingly, studies have shown that people donate more when shown a picture of or told a story about a single animal needing help.
HSUS is very clever at fundraising. The Humane Society of the United States does not give any money to the local Humane Society that helps dogs in your area.
1) There is a disclaimer in fine print at the bottom of the form which says your donation may be used for other HSUS programs and may not be used to help the dog fight victims.
2) There has been no accounting for the nearly $20 million HSUS raised for the Katrina dogs and cats. The organization is under investigation by the Louisiana Attorney General for their handling of that situation.
3) HSUS has NO shelter. It is a corporate office building in Washington, DC.
It is supposedly "overseeing" the care of the dogs that were seized from Vick's house, but we don't know where the animals are. Will the shelter actually providing their care receive all the donations this campaign generates?
4) There is no reason to believe that your contributions will go to help the dogs seized from Michael Vick or any other dogs or cats. HSUS spends most of its money on legislative efforts to make dog breeding impossible and pet ownership more difficult, more expensive, and more dangerous.
5) HSUS claims its servers crashed from the response to their first appeal for money for these dogs, yet they are still out there beating the drum for more money, still claiming more is needed for the Vick dogs.
And if you are still considering writing that check, read the following quotes from Wayne Pacelle, president of HSUS
"I don't have a hands-on fondness for animals. To this day I don't feel bonded to any non-human animal. I like them and I pet them and I'm kind to them, but there is no special bond between me and other animals.
Quoted in Bloodties: Nature, Culture and the Hunt by Ted Kerasote, 1993, p. 251.
"We have no problem with the extinction of domestic animals. They are creations of human selective breeding." Quoted in Animal People, May, 1993
When asked if he envisioned a future without pets: "If I had my personal view, perhaps that might take hold. In fact, I don't want to see another dog or cat born. Wayne Pacelle quoted in Bloodties: Nature, Culture and the Hunt by Ted Kerasote, 1993, p. 266.
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Where are the millions in contributions they already receive every year?
If you have money to contribute, please send it to your **local** shelter.
Donations received by local shelters do help animals. The money sent to
HSUS does not.
