The following is based on the Center for the Environment and Welfare 2021 tax report analysis
HSUS is not the ‘do good’ organization the public is led to believe, according to an analysis recently issued by the Center for the Environment and Welfare. In its report, Profit Over Pet Shelters: How ASPCA and HSUS Shortchange Local Pet Shelters, the Center for the Environment and Welfare details the large sums of donated money, that HSUS spends on salaries and other compensation and perks versus just how pathetically little they spend on pet welfare.
The report examined the HSUS budget, which totaled approximately $138 million. It was spent in four major areas, with an incredibly small portion spent on actual animal welfare activities. HSUS disclosed it spent $56 million on fundraising, $4.3 million on executive compensation, and $1.2 million on lobbying in 2021. Combined, these numbers are less than the amount HSUS “stashed” in offshore accounts, which totaled a whopping $67 million in 2021.
Oddly, with their total budget at $138 million, HSUS raked in $260 million in 2021 revenue. Yet, while brining in more than a quarter of a billion dollars, HSUS only sent $1.6 million to pet shelters. This equates to slightly more than one percent of their total budget, according to the Center for the Environment and Welfare report.
The report also pointed out that HSUS donated to pet shelters in only 18 states. In 32 states, and Washington D.C., no pet shelters received donations from HSUS. Only five states received HSUS donations of more than $100,000, with Washington state receiving the most at $336,000. The shelter receiving the largest allocation ($125,000) was The Humane Society for Seattle/King County.
HSUS deceit does not stop with funding. The organization is fine with the perception it supports humane societies across the United States. In fact, the Center for the Environment and Welfare report explained HSUS does not operate a single pet shelter. Yet, polling shows most Americans believe HSUS operates shelters. HSUS does nothing to correct this misleading perception because perception is often “reality” to the perceiver.
Polling shared in the report revealed that 80 percent of Americans believe the following statement about HSUS: “HSUS is an umbrella group that represents thousands of humane societies across America.”
Additionally, the report shared that 76 percent of people polled believe the statement: “My local humane society or pet shelter is affiliated with the Humane Society of the United States.”
The perception perpetuated by HSUS is that it operates pet shelters and financially supports a large number of others across America, both of which are false based on facts. The report sheds light on the reality that HSUS has no affiliation with the vast majority of local U.S. pet shelters. Sadly, HSUS likely siphons badly needed funding away from shelters that actually do serve animals.
Ultimately, HSUS is unlike the organization it portrays itself to be, a fact easily exposed by the Center for the Environment and Welfare in its report.
In reality, HSUS is an animal rights extremist organization focused on eliminating animal agriculture, animal ownership, and human use of animals for any purpose. HSUS is less about helping animals and more about the power to control human interaction with animals. This is not a “pet-friendly” organization.
Doing research on organizations one is considering for a donation is imperative because, like HSUS, there is a chance they may not be as worthy as they appear.
Helpful Links
For the Center for the Environment and Welfare report HERE and HERE.
More information on HSUS from Protect the Harvest HERE and HERE.
