HSUS Exposed -- Not Your Local Animal Shelter

Before you can know what The Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) really is, you need to know what it's NOT. Namely, the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) is not, has never been and, ostensibly, never will be an animal shelter.

Don't believe us? Just ask HSUS head Wayne Pacelle who famously declared "We never said we funded animal shelters… That's not in our history or in our statement."

The vast majority of Americans (71% in fact) believe the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) to be a collection of local humane societies.

Sadly, they've been misled by a name.

In fact, it seems HSUS (the so-called Humane Society of the United States) isn't even affiliated with any actual Humane Societies. HSUS uses the name but doesn't give much back, which seems to really irk local Humane Societies that are starving for funds.

So, if they're neither a "Humane Society" nor an animal shelter then just who are they and why do they have everyone so riled up?

The closer you look at the labyrinth of the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS), its leadership, its staff and its associates, you begin to see the truth behind an organization that is trying to obliterate a large portion of American life, culture and heritage.

They are able to attempt this with the backing of their donors. What could you do with $125+ Million? That's how much revenue the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) generated in 2012 according to its 2013 IRS 990 disclosure form.

Or how about $195 Million? That was the net assets HSUS had at the end of 2012.

So, where does all that money go? As we know, Wayne Pacelle and Co. don't put much stock in actually running animal shelters or assisting local shelters.

But by no means is the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) shy about spending its money. The folks over at Humane Watch have a great breakdown of HSUS's spending habits. And it'll raise a few eyebrows with folks who thought their $19.99 a month was going to help puppies and kittens find new homes.

Two numbers stand out: $42 Million and $44.3 Million. That's how much HSUS spent on fundraising (hey, it takes money to make money, right?) and "Salaries and Benefits," respectively. That's not even counting the $2.5 Million in pension contributions.

But those expenses nearly pale in comparison to the money HSUS spent that year trying to alter public policy and influence people they call "thought leaders." The massive amount HSUS continues to spend to buy new laws and regulations is working as they seek to restrict the rights of farmers, hunters, entertaiers and animal owners.

Unfortunately, according to Humane Watch, the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) spent less than 1 percent of their budget on operations involving local humane societies and animal shelters.

It's no wonder, then, that the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) has had trouble impressing charity watch dog organizations like the Charity Navigator, which has revoked their charity rating after years of extremely poor ratings and instead issued a donor advisory warning.

So, if you gave to the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) thinking that you were actually helping out your local animal shelters and rescues, you may want to strongly consider supporting local shelters who actually provide hands-on care and shelter for animals. You can find a local shelter over at the Humane Society for Shelter Pets.

Banning Mountain Lion and Bobcat Hunting in Arizona

HSUS Spearheads Arizona Ballot Issue to Ban Mountain Lion Hunting

Editor's Note: Today's feature appears with the permission of the Sportsmen's Alliance (www.sportsmensalliance.org).

In November 2018, the world's wealthiest animal-rights organization intends to ask Arizona voters to ban mountain lion, bobcat and other big-cat hunting. Operating under the name 'Arizonans for Wildlife,' the campaign is really being spearheaded by the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS). The group filed language on September 25 with the Arizona Secretary of State's office to allow the signature-gathering process to begin in an effort to qualify the issue for the 2018 ballot. If the language is approved, the HSUS-led group would have to gather 150,642 valid voter signatures by July 5, 2018 to qualify for the election on November 6, 2018.

The language filed by the anti-hunting group would remove mountain lions and bobcats from the state's list of huntable species. Under the proposed language, mountain lions and bobcats, along with jaguars, ocelots and lynx, would be called "e;wild cats,"e; and be prohibited from hunting or trapping.

The proposal purports to allow for the taking of wild cats when a life is in imminent danger, or in cases of livestock depredation, but in both cases, a mountain lion or bobcat could only be killed after a dangerous encounter has occurred or significant financial loss has been incurred.

The proposal does not allow the Arizona Fish and Game Department to manage mountain lion and bobcat numbers to prevent over population that can result in dangerous encounters with people and livestock loss. It also does not allow the department to manage wild cat numbers to protect other wildlife that will likely be impacted by an unchecked population of mountain lions. The language would put Arizona's iconic bighorn sheep population at risk, along with many other prey species.