HSUS: Not Your Local Humane Society By Bob Noonan It’s common knowledge among hunters and trappers that the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS), based in Washington, D.C., is Enemy #1 to our way of life. The openly-stated goal of HSUS is to end all hunting and trapping, and they are behind almost all anti-hunting and trapping efforts across the country. (In reality, their aim is much wider; they also actively push a vegan agenda, and want to end all animal use, including farm raising of livestock for meat, dairy, and eggs.) HSUS is effective working towards these goals because it has huge financial resources – and the powerful prestige of its name. Unfortunately, most people, even some trappers, do not understand what HSUS really is. That’s because they call themselves the “Humane Society”. What, exactly, is the Humane Society? It turns out there are two. And they’re even not remotely the same. The general public knows their local Humane Society as shelters for dogs and cats, run by dedicated, low paid people and volunteers who love animals. Across America there are thousands of such local shelters, almost all calling themselves the Humane Society. They are all independent; they are not connected to a larger organization, or even to each other. However, polling shows that 71% of Americans believes HSUS is an umbrella organization for all these local shelters. People think their shelters are somehow affiliated with HSUS. By extension, they also feel that HSUS is the voice of local shelters. It is not. HSUS has nothing to do with local Humane Society shelters; they just happen to use exactly the same name. HSUS furthers this deception by frequently using dogs and cats in their many ads that ask for money to help these animals in shelters. But HSUS does not run any pet shelters – and, although it raises well over $100 million annually from contributions, it consistently gives shelters less than 1% of that money. The figures below are based on HSUS’s 2013 IRS Form 990, which all nonprofits have to file. In it, they themselves reveal their 2012 financial activity. (Note: not all expenses listed.) • Total revenue: $125.8 million. • President/CEO Wayne Pacelle’s annual compensation package: $395,469. • Employees: 636 (including 30 lawyers); 7 earn over $200,000; 38 earn over $100,000. • Total salaries and benefits: $44.5 million (35% of its total budget). • Added to pension plan: $2.4 million. • Spent on fundraising: $49 million (39% of its total budget). • Spent on lobbying: $2.5 million. • Grants to pet shelters: $1,028,586 (.8% of its total budget). • Total expenses: $120.3 million. • Total investments: $177.7 million (publically traded securities). • Total assets: $195.4 million Its varied investments are revealing. For example, although HSUS pushes legislation to end meat eating and farm raising of livestock, it has owned shares of Hardees, McDonald’s, Wendy’s, and other restaurants that focus on meat-based dishes. These are profitable investments, and HSUS has never had a problem privately violating its own, publicly stated “values” for its main goal -- fundraising. Of particular concern is HSUS’s 2012 investment of $25.7 million in what they refer to as the “Central American and Caribbean” region. These investments are: Ascend Partners Fund I, L.P. (Cayman Islands); BKM Holdings Ltd. (Caymans); Fore Multi Strategy Offshore Fund, Ltd. (Caymans); Hayman Capital Offshore Partners, L.P. (Bermuda); Fir Tree International Value Fund (Caymans). These are all for-profit hedge funds. Why did a U.S. not-for-profit organization park almost $26 million in offshore for-profit
Posted on: Fri, 16 Jan 2015 17:43:32 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015