I disagree at least in part on this view of the HSUS (an organisation about which I have no opinion) and find the source of the claims about them on the animal rights front far more invidious than breeders and breeder lobby groups. I too actually put my journalist hat on and did a lot of research on the claims by breeders and breeder lobby groups (which also routinely defend breeders who keep dozens to hundreds of dogs kennelled outside... how is this different from a puppy mill? Just because they show some of those dogs?) -- about the HSUS and found much the opposite and also will note that perhaps there is a major gap in what some describe as animal rights as opposed to animal welfare.
Much of what the Humane Society is arguing for on the farm animal front is in many places outside the US viewed as basic welfare issues, and many elements are actually already law in much of the EU (for welfare reasons) and is rightly considered compassionate farming. As for running shelters, the Humane Society itself notes in its description of its own remit that it runs a small number of shelters and wildlife centers and focuses more on education, issues, health, legislation etc.
Almost every single "serious" claim I could find against the Humane Society originates with a multimillionaire lobbyist who is heavily financed by–you guessed it–the farming industry, the processed foods industry, and the tobacco and liquor industries. He has set up a wide range of websites and groups that make all sorts of not quite specific claims against the Humane Society. None of this is substantiated with anything remotely solid -- I did pretty exhaustive research on this -- and it is classic FUD–spreading fear uncertainty and doubt. Because I participate on so many different discussion list I have seen the dog “industry” columnists using these “facts” and the ridiculous press releases that are put out by this lobby.
If people wonder why this crowd consistently targets pet owners and tries to discredit the Humane Society, it has nothing at all to do with any stance they might take on pets, but instead is a way to discredit them enough that it might–they hope–damage their influence in changing what are quite frankly appalling farming methods in the US and internationally. And I say this as someone who grew up in a rural area of California and saw the conditions in which the animals are kept before it ends up as the steak on your table.
People are more than welcome to go investigate what they wish to think themselves, but for a long time I have deleted discussion of this organization because there is just clearly so much that is absolutely false spread by this lobby group. The lobbyist was interviewed by I believe Katie Couric on one of the morning news shows in the US and he is a pretty odious creature. You can find the interview on YouTube.
Anne, I have asked you in the past not to bring up this issue and I am really sorry to see that you have dived in on this conversation several times–I guess you forgot the exchange we have already had on this issue. I will put you on moderation and consider removing you from the board permanently if you feel you need to keep making posts about subjects which I then need to remove. I am sorry to state this but I simply do not have the time to read every post you make .
Along that line, while it is fine to note the connection to pet plan, I do not think anyone should be pushing any insurer on such a thin basis. It is far more important that people **check what the terms are of the individual insurance policy**.
And with that I am going to close this thread because I do not want any further conversation here on the Humane Society. I stress that this is not because I either support or do not support this organization, but that it is so clear to me that a good portion of what is said is nonsense and is heavily funded by an extremely well-paid, obnoxious right-wing lobby group run by a single individual, a group totally disinterested in the issues but paid well to say what they say. IMHO this lobby has a more damaging and appalling agenda for animals and humans than anything the HSUS might be doing that annoys some people. If people want to discuss this issue there are endless discussions on other boards and lists where this topic comes up but it is unapologetically banned here.
