Animal Rights or Human Responsibility (AR-HR)

In a twist of irony, the HSUS publishes the article, “Counting the Ways” detailing its major accomplishments from 2006 to 2009 on the day after the AR-HR article, “Did the Humane Society (HSUS) Fail to Account for Political/Lobbying Activity of Personnel on IRS Tax Filings?”   (See here for the HSUS original and here for the version modified after this article was released and reviewed by the HSUS) 

It is ironic because the HSUS is claiming four years of accomplishments that did not involve their volunteers, their employees or their executive according to the their tax records. 

In 2006, some of the HSUS major legislative and political accomplishments included:

• The HSUS led a successful Arizona Ballot Initiative against sow gestation crates and battled against a Michigan State  Ballot Initiative regarding Mourning Dove Hunting, yet according to the tax records no HSUS volunteers, employees or executive worked on the campaign?
• The HSUS ”led the fight in Congress to achieve passage of the Pets Evacuation and Transportation Standards Act to ensure adequate planning for moving companion animals out of harm’s way” yet according to the tax records no HSUS volunteers, employees or executive worked on this endeavor?
• The HSUS “helped pass 69 new laws in state legislatures”  and worked on a total of 73 legislative proposals, yet according to the tax records no HSUS volunteers, employees or executive worked on these campaigns?

In 2007:

• The HSUS claimed credit for helping to pass a record 86 new laws at the state level, yet according to the tax records no HSUS volunteers, employees or executive worked on these campaigns?

Now, keep in mind that in 2006, the Humane Society Legislative Fund (HSLF) spent a total of just over $3.3 million while spending just over $3.1 million in 2007.  Also keep in mind that much of the HSUS executive sits on the HSLF board, but they only claim an involvement  of 10 hours/week.  That’s an average of less than $44,000 per project in 2006 and around $36,000 per project in 2007 without factoring any other associated budget items if one tries to claim all associated personnel costs are attributed to HSLF. 

In 2008:

• The HSUS claims credit for driving the passage of Proposition 2, a California ballot initiative and the anti-greyhound racing bill in Massachusetts.   Will the HSUS tax records state yet again that no HSUS volunteers, employees or executive worked on these ballot initiatives?   Proposition 2 was a campaign that opponents spent 10 million dollars arguing against for reasons proving to be accurate like increased cost to consumers and increases disease and injury in the birds?
• The HSUS claims credit for three significant provisions in the Federal Farm Bill.  Will the HSUS tax records state yet again that no HSUS volunteers, employees or executive worked on this bill?
• The HSUS claims credit for a record 93 pro-animal state laws  that were passed & 53 animal unfriendly laws that were defeated.  Will the HSUS tax records state yet again that no HSUS volunteers, employees or executive worked on these campaigns?

If a similar set of expenses is filed for 2008 for HSLF, $3.3 million, the HSLF attributable costs would drop to an average of under $23,000 per project. 

Its a good thing that the HSUS has started to pursue the religious community, because numbers like this for the HSLF are miraculous. Or dare I say mythical since I don’t share their religious view? 

Copyright 2009 by Erica Saunders   http://AR-HR.com
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