Sep 27 2011
PRESS RELEASE: Consumer Group Files Attorney General Complaint Against HSUS
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Consumer Group Files Attorney General Complaint Against Humane Society of the United States
Deceptive “Doggie-Dollar” Fundraising Fuels Call to Action
Washington, DC – Today the nonprofit Center for Consumer Freedom (CCF) sent a letter to the office of California Attorney General Kamala Harris requesting that the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) be included in any possible investigation into deceptive fundraising in the Golden State. In May, the State Humane Association of California, which represents more than 100 animal welfare and control organizations in the state, filed a complaint with the Attorney General alleging unfair and deceptive fundraising by the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA).
The State Humane Association of California alleges that “ASPCA’s unfair and deceptive fundraising practices harm local humane societies and SPCAs by capitalizing on and reinforcing the widely-held mistaken belief that the ASPCA is a parent or umbrella organization to the thousands of humane societies and SPCAs across the country.” CCF believes that these complaints also apply to the Humane Society of the United States.
“HSUS relies on and utilizes the popular misperception that it is a pet-shelter umbrella group, or that it is affiliated with local humane societies,” stated CCF executive director Rick Berman. “While its ads consist almost exclusively of dogs and cats, HSUS doesn’t run a single shelter for abused and abandoned cats and dogs. HSUS’s tactics suck dollars out of communities and away from local pet shelters.”
According to recent national polling, 71 percent of Americans mistakenly believe that HSUS is a pet-shelter umbrella group, while 59 percent incorrectly believe HSUS contributes most of its money to local hands-on pet-care groups.
“This deception has gone on for too long,” continued Berman. “It’s high time for the Attorney General to rein in HSUS’s fundraising tactics and require the organization to divulge the truth in its ads: That HSUS is not a pet-sheltering organization or 'humane society' umbrella group, and that less than 1 percent of its budget is sent to pet shelters.”
A copy of the letter can be read at http://www.humanewatch.org/images/uploads/CaliforniaAGLetter.pdf
Comments
Truth would be nice for a change…
They also need to check into the dealings going on in Missouri.. The Humane Society of The United States needs stopped.. Missouri needs to stand up to this deceptive group just as Nebraska has!!
Donate directly to your local animal shelter. Not just money, take some time and walk dogs or bathe them. Donate towels, blankets even dog and cat toys it gets boring in a small cage.
Truth in advertising. I for one have been deceived by these advertisements and want to see them stopped. There are so many cats and dogs that need help in every state, and like others I truly believed that the HSUS provided help to local communitites! TRUTH, all donators deserve it!
I, too, believed that ASPCA and HSUS were parent organizations of sorts to city shelters around the country. I had no idea they were hoarding their funds and not giving enough of that much-needed money to the shelters who do so much of the work. Shame on them! I’ll be spreading the word about this. Time to put these shady organizations in check! Is there a petition we can start somewhere?
I’d like to see a copy of this action emailed AND sent via USPS to every TV station in the country responsible for showing the “sad puppy/kitty” ASPCA and HSUS ads.
I’m curious to know where all of their funds actually end up. I agree that they’ve been deceptive and that that needs to stop, but ASPCA has still done good work haven’t they?
Instead of feeling victimized, I really, really feel a need for a loud call to action, and I think the suggestion just above by “V” is perfect. Perhaps someone - maybe the sponsor of this site, knowns a way to get the email, or better, mailing to NEWSROOMS of every TV station in the country, arranged by state, as well as API & REUTERS from which alot of these news orgs pick up their news.
I would be more than happy to send a few copies to MY local newspapers, TV news desks, and even state Attorney General,and maybe Congressman or Senator, and if we coulod get even 15-20 of us to do this, maybe we can get some momentum here.
We may not be able to address all the evils of the world, but perhaps this one is in reach.
Site sponsor: if you can provide the information, I commit to using it.
To all who wonder were the money goes that the ASPCA and HSUS collect. It goes to fund groups like PeTA that want to see all animal ownership ended for good as in NO MORE pets. So every time someone gets suckered in by one of those celebrity ads for HSUS it goes to help the lobbying and destruction work that PeTA does. Please spread the word that if you truly love owning a dog, cat , horse or other animal don’t donate to either ASPCA or HSUS. Give locally it will do the most good. Thank you so much for reading this.
I have supported HSUS and ASPCA for many years. To learn this makes me wish I had thoroughly vetted all of the “charities” I have donated. The shame is mine, not any of the organizations I have “helped” over the years. I should have done my homework before becoming a donor. Thank you for opening my eyes.
PETA and HSUS use the money to pass legislation to stop breeding of all animals and to stop ownership of all animals.They have millions to work with.
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Wish all the states would stop this deceptive advertising.