November 8, 2016

2 Min Read
HSUS pushes legislation; lays off employees

Today is Election Day, and the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) has been pretty busy pushing its agenda. Endorsing Hillary Clinton as a champion for the animal rights movement, attempting to ban the sale of eggs and pork in Massachusetts with a $2 million campaign and opposing safeguards for Oklahoma farmers and ranchers are just a few of the things HSUS is working on this election season.

According to Richard Berman, president of the Washington, D.C.-based public affairs firm, Berman and Company, writing for the Independent Journal Review, “This November, HSUS has grown heavily involved in several state ballot initiatives it alleges will ‘advance the cause of animal protection.’

“In Massachusetts, the nonprofit organization is urging voters to say Yes on Question 3, which bans 85-90% of eggs and pork from being sold in supermarkets. In Oklahoma, it has voiced opposition to State Question 777, a measure to enshrine a “right to farm” amendment in the state constitution.”

READ: “HSUS treats human beings inhumanely” by Richard Berman

While HSUS may be busy on the political front, they seem to be having trouble drumming up donations to fund the organization’s activities.

According to the Center for Consumer Freedom (CCF), “HSUS has laid off 55 staffers – about 10% of its staff – in the midst of a financial shortfall that is believed to be at least $20 million. CCF learned about the retrenchment from an anonymous source.

“The layoffs come despite HSUS putting $150 million into offshore funds based in the Caribbean and Bermuda and paying a $450,000 compensation package for its CEO, Wayne Pacelle, as well as six-figure packages for 42 staffers in 2015.”

It’s important to note that HSUS doesn’t run a single pet shelter, and recent tax returns show that only 1% of HSUS’ budget is given to help run animal shelters.

HSUS’s funding shortfall shows the public is waking up to the fact that HSUS wastes donor money and shortchanges the dogs and cats it uses as fundraising props,” commented Will Coggin, research director at CCF, in a recent press release. “If people really want to help animals they should give to their local shelter.”


Spread the word, vote for pro-animal agriculture candidates and initiatives and let’s show HSUS that farmers and ranchers mean business when it comes to animal stewardship, private ownership and meat production in this country.

The opinions of Amanda Radke are not necessarily those of beefmagazine.com or Penton Agriculture.

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