Jan 13 2012
Has HSUS Reached a New Low?
The Humane Society of the United States (HSUS), not to be confused with your local humane society, regularly runs deceptive ads on TV that help mislead Americans into believing that HSUS is primarily a pet-sheltering organization. (It isn’t.) But a new fundraising ploy targeting children is perhaps the most outrageous scheme yet that we’ve seen HSUS involved in.
The social-game company MindJolt SGN released an HSUS-backed iPhone/iPad game on January 2 called “Fluff Friends Rescue,” in which players can build an animal shelter, rescue animals, adopt animals out, and—last but not least—buy HSUS-branded in-game items, 100 percent of the proceeds of which go to HSUS. One report characterized the game as trying “to raise awareness of what the Humane Society does.”
There’s only one problem: That’s not what HSUS does.
HSUS does not run a pet shelter anywhere. And it gives only 1 percent of its budget to pet shelters. Yet, there’s a whole new game on just that—building and operating a shelter that adopts out cats and dogs. Even HSUS’s CEO admits that only 20 percent of HSUS’s efforts concern pets.
It’s a sick irony that HSUS doesn’t run any shelters and yet there’s a game with HSUS’s logo in it that makes it seem like HSUS does. (In the game, you can build a special HSUS play pen or vet clinics for your rescued animals. You can buy in-game money with real money.) It gets even more nauseating when you consider a target market of this game: Kids.
Even if you know the truth about HSUS, this HSUS-backed game might be planting false seeds in your children’s minds. (Targeting kids, by the way, is straight out of the PETA playbook.)
While this game may instill habits by getting youngsters to buy HSUS stuff early on—presumably, HSUS hopes they’ll keep this up into adulthood—it also has a more nefarious effect: To perpetuate the misperception that HSUS is a pet-shelter group and not the fringe anti-meat group that it is.
According to nationally representative polling, 71 percent of Americans wrongly believe that HSUS is a pet-shelter “umbrella group” while 68 percent mistakenly think that HSUS gives most of its money to pet shelters. (We’ve even heard from HSUS donors who were shocked to find out how little of their donation went to pet shelters.)
Of course, this polling only measures what adults believe. The next generation of adults is playing “Fluff Friends Rescue.”
The game’s creator thinks it “has the potential to hit the top 10 or top 20 games and stay there for a long time.” That’s quite the potential cash stream for HSUS, which is no doubt licking its chops.
Meanwhile, HSUS says that the game is a way to “inform [players] about the hard work of animal rescue groups”—yet the money raised all goes to HSUS, not to true rescue groups. Yes, HSUS does run an animal rescue team, but it’s a small portion of HSUS’s budget. If HSUS wants to become a true rescue group—instead of just raising money like it is one—then by all means, it should. But we suspect HSUS will just keep raising money and banking on public misperception.
It’s hard to believe a “charity” like HSUS can be so unscrupulous. It’s not just a new low for HSUS—it’s a new high in deception.
Comments
I have given to the HSUS for many years and thought like everyone else I suppose, that their main goal was helping shelter animals. I have wondered why they spend so much money on mail giveaways like key chains,labels,etc. when these dollars could possibly help save more animals. I think I will have to rethink my charities and give directly to my local shelters and organizations. It is a shame they are allowed to misrepresent on such a large scale.
Whatever happened to the IRS investigation of HSUS. I think I’m seeing some affects on HSUS in our state. They don’t use the “lobby” word near as much as they once did, but more needs to be done. Maybe a complaint with the U.S. Securities Exchange Commission concerning false and deceptive advertising would help.
I don’t get why they allow games like this in the first place. They have that game that allows kids to keep an aquarium of fish and if the fish dies you can pay to bring it back to life. Parents didn’t even realise their kids were maxing out their credit cards with the game until they got their next bill in the mail! Such a scam to target kids. Plus they’re teaching the kids that it’s okay to let something die. All you need is to throw a bunch of money at it and it’s all better again! Great lesson for kids!
As for HSUS, give money to your local animal shelter if you really want to help animals in need.
Truth in advertising has never been a priority for HSUS. Does humane org or any other real animal care group have enough money to put up billboards, do local newspaper ads, or anything else to show how HSUS is a bunch of money hungry b*******? Either that or tell people how to legally word something published by themselves?
It is absolutely the worst thing that hsus could do, target our children.
How many of these hsus people have kids? I bet they don’t want their kids playing or buying that garbage.
This is an outrage, to think some one would go to that extent to get more money to take vacations, and raise more for their retirements.They probably leave their kids at home with babysitters while they go trapsing around the world “raising money”.
These guys a re a “CROCK FULL OF IT”
I am sooo glad that I SUPPORT MY LOCAL SHELTER!!!
They should be, but you know how these big businesses are, they can do anything they want and get away with it! They use a little bit of truth (1% given to animal groups/animals) and the rest goes to them! So be aware that you are better off supporting the rescue groups specifically and the local animal shelters in your area! This way you know for sure where your money is really going and of course you can buy dog food and so on to give to the shelters to feed the animals and know exactly how your money is being spent!!! Also, too I would think that you could give gift certificates for other services to help the shelters too.
Sincerely,
Carol Hostler
Stopping HSUS would be a step in the right direction. However, until dog owners, breeders, hunters, farmers and ranchers start holding politicians responsible for idiotic laws and regulations it will not end.
Write to your legislators and tell them you’ve had enough and make them answer for it with your vote.
Once you could count on Republicans to be in your corner, that is not the case any longer, even conservative states and conservative Republicans having either fallen prey to HSUS and PETA or HSUS and PETA supporters have invaded the Republican party.
HSUS Must be sued! A civil suit? Are their any lawyers for The Humane Watch Team, willing to follow up on this? Please??? I am soo sadened right now… Knowing that the HSUS is now brain washing the children with this new game, and many others>Adults too>playing this game. We must really keep speaking out, and SPEAK OUT FOR THE ANIMALS> AND THE ANIMALS RIGHTS!!! People who continue to donate to the HSUS don’t know the truth where their donations really go??? ONLY 1% to shelters!!!!!!!! I’ve got to go pray now! Prayer and meditation to help calm me down… Very upset and disturbed about the game…THE HSUS DISTURBS MY WELL-BEING, and SPIRIT INSIDE!
Karen
I sure hope they can! All that money and talk! now HSUS wants to pick on AKC-american kennel club- becuase AKC supports dog breeding. AKC only supports dog breeding when it improves the breed, when the parents are helth checked, and when the parents are champions in thier breed. Puppy mills don’t even think about showing thier dogs since it is VERY expensive. SO why is HSUS picking on AKC? Just because HSUS is sad when they see animals in shelters, YET they donate less than 1% to pet shelters!!
Most people know it is very hard to run a shelter now HSUS is trying to get the next genration to be brainwashed into thinking that HSUS is “good.”
My dog, a purebreed aussie, was bought from a hobby breeder who health checks their dogs and only breeds one litter a year. My dog’s parents are champions in thier breed and EVEERY since dog in her pedigree is a champion.
I think a paragraph about this should be included in every editorial Humanewatch submits to national/state newspapers for two reasons:
1) As a parent, if I knew my kid was blowing real money to buy fake money, just for the privilege to play a game….I’d use that as a teachable opportunity to tell them what a senseless waste in hard earned money that is. In my mind that’s worse than a one-time fee to play because it means you are shelling out each time you get involved in the game.
2) I’d also want the opportunity to tell them how money like that can be funding a cause you may not agree with if you haven’t researched the background on the developer/funder.
How many people even think about that when they download a game. Usually they are just thinking….Is it fun? It would be nice to bring a little more awareness to that CHOICE before making the download.
Just my two cents….
P.S. I guess all those monthly cancellations since Humanewatch came on board must have spurred the need for a different way to collect revenue.
Imaginative, but LOW.
So what should loyal donors do? Stop donating to HSUS? I don’t want to give monies to something that doesn’t do what they claim to do like save animals! I’m really livid & pissed off at finding this out! I will stop donating to HSUS b/c they advertise about abused animals on tv pulling on our heart strings only to find that not even a decent amount get to where it should be going!
I hate the HSUS almost as much as I hate the AKC, and I’d be happy to see both go out of business. If you’re an AKC/KC supporter, I suggest you watch Pedigree Dogs Exposed.
Tricia,
Yes, that’s exactly what you should do….STOP DONATING to H$U$! Your good intent is just wasted on greed. That’s why the Humanewatch blog advocates for giving to your LOCAL shelter. Then you know you’re supporting hands-on care to animals in your local area. If you need a list of shelters in your area, go to the Humane Society for Shelter Pets. They have a large state-by-state listing of area animal shelters so they can help you direct your donations locally!
Thanks,
The information you’ve sent is very valuable & helpful. I am donating funds to shelters in my hometown. If I have extra, left over, I plan to donate out of state as well. If you know any legit shelters in other states please let me know.
I am so glad that people are becoming more aware of the BS that hsus is putting out there.
It is very important that you support your local shelters, they use the money for food, medicines, and spay/neuter.
Our Vetenarians here, often donate their time, which is a great relief for our shelters.
Even donating old clean blankets that can be cut up and used for cages, for both cats and dogs, buying a few buckets of cat litter, and straw for bunnies, goes a long way to comfort shelter animals. Old but clean pillows works too, especially if there is a nice pillow case on them.
It doesn’t take much if every person donates just 1 item to a shelter.
As for donating food, sometimes special food is needed, and as it is always pretty spendy, if a few friends got together, went to their shelter, and found what special food the shelter needed, they could pull together, and get a bag.
Toys are not expensive, each person giving a toy…..well most people know how this works.
hsus can go jump in a lake with piranas for all I care, or they should be locked up in some of the cages these animals spend their lives in. They would probably change their tune after a few days!
SUPPORT LOCAL SHELTERS!!! GOD bless the caretakers, Doctors, and providers that volunteer and help the local shelters.
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Can’t they be sued/held liable for deceptive advertising/messaging?