The Humane Society Becomes a Political Animal

[DeepModem Mom]

WP: The Humane Society Becomes a Political Animal
By Jeffrey H. Birnbaum
Tuesday, January 30, 2007; Page A15

Many people may consider the Humane Society of the United States a pussycat. But with 10 million donors and $120 million budget, it is becoming a tiger among Washington's interest groups.

Just ask Maryland Gov. Robert L. Ehrlich Jr. (R) and Rep. Richard W. Pombo (R-Calif.). Actually, make that former governor and then-representative. The Humane Society targeted both in last year's elections after Ehrlich supported bear hunting and Pombo supported commercial whaling and trapping in wildlife refuges.

The society also spent lavishly to help pass an initiative in Arizona, fought by agribusiness, that bans inhumane factory farming. And it bested the National Rifle Association on a measure that prohibits the shooting of mourning doves for sport in Michigan.

"They are a worthy opponent," said Andrew Arulanandam of the NRA. "They certainly have a lot of backers with deep pockets."...

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The society's newfound prowess was engineered by its 41-year-old president, Wayne Pacelle. The smooth-talking Pacelle (who travels so often that he doesn't own a pet) was the group's top lobbyist before taking over 2 1/2 years ago. He quickly consolidated his power base by merging with two other animal-protection organizations -- the Fund for Animals and the Doris Day Animal League. He also formed a political affiliate, the Humane Society Legislative Fund, which spent $500,000 on key races in last year's elections, and established his own political action committee called Humane USA, which funneled an additional $300,000 to pro-animal candidates.

"The organization has committed itself to political activity as never before in its 52-year history," Pacelle said. In addition to collecting the scalps of opponents on Election Day, the society can claim at least two dozen successful statewide ballot measures including ones that bar horse slaughter and cockfighting. It's fighting similar battles in Congress....

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/01/29/AR2007012901861.html

[ToeBot]

1. No mention of the money they gave to Senator-reject Santorum...

They're off my Christmas list.

[catgirl]

2. And no mention of the $ they kept from Katrina!

about 14 million of the $ that was donated specifically
for animal rescue in New Orleans. They finally bowed
to pressure several months afterwards, but then never
paid up.

HSUS ditched the rescue effort in New Orleans in October,
while tens of thousands of pets were still out on the streets
getting sicker and dying, not to mention having litters!

I'll never donate to them again. Farm Sanctuary is a great
group. Arno (Animal Rescue New Orleans) is always in need
od donations. This is the group that formed in order to save
animals when every other group left. Best Friends is another
great group.