2010 Animal People News “Watchdog Report” (Excerpt Covering HSUS)

This PDF contains a brief excerpt from page 18 of the 2010 “Watchdog Report” from Animal People News. (A complete printed copy costs $25 and can be ordered online.)

It includes a basic assessment of the Humane Society of the United States’s financial health, and of its major initiatives during 2008. Financial information is drawn from HSUS’s 2008 federal income tax return (Form 990).

Among other things, Animal People notes that HSUS has a vegan-only meal policy for events it sponsors:

Food Policy: Since 2005 HSUS has required that “At HSUS internal events where food is served and to which staff and/or guests have been invited to participate, HSUS will purchase vegan fare and we will strive to have organic products … External events under the control of HSUS should also provide for the purchase of all non-animal products. If that is not possible, events should be vegetarian—no meat (including fish and shellfish). For events sponsored by HSUS with other organizations, strong efforts should be made to serve all vegan or vegetarian food. Partnering organizations are to be informed that vegan options should be available and that they are preferred.

In addition, Animal People provides the result of its own analysis of HSUS’s fundraising expenses, as they compare with “program” expenses (those that are not considered “overhead”). According to this analysis, HSUS spends one-half (50 percent) of every dollar on fundraising.

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This excerpt is reproduced under the Fair Use provision of U.S. copyright law.