Oh, Please

I am always amazed at how low the small-government, anti-regulation folks will stoop to pass their agenda. Today, however, I was shocked to discover that their latest target is the Humane Society. Yes, that's right: the Humane Society, that organization which looks out for abused animals and tries to put a stop to such things as organized dog fighting and the unnecessarily brutal treatment of agricorps' farm animals.

A group has targeted the Humane Society with ads claiming that the organization doesn't fund local shelters, something which the ad claims the organization implies in its literature.

From an editorial in the Los Angeles Times:

One of the current ads features a photo of dogs looking wide-eyed in shock under the caption "SURPRISED to hear the Humane Society of the United States shares only 1 percent of your donations with local pet shelters?" The ad goes on to state that the Humane Society "is NOT your local animal shelter."

The ad is true on both counts. But it's also misleading. The Humane Society has never claimed that its mission is to fund local animal shelters. Among the projects it does fund are legislative campaigns to pass animal protection laws in various states, investigations into animal cruelty (including dogfighting, puppy mills and factory farms), three wildlife rehabilitation centers and two horse sanctuaries, emergency shelter operations in areas hit by disasters and veterinary services in rural areas. In some communities it also has supported low-cost spay and neuter facilities. While some people may mistakenly believe that the Humane Society of the United States does the same job local humane societies do, it should not surprise anyone who has looked at the organization's website that only a small percentage of its money goes to local shelters.

So, who's behind these ads and what's their real gripe?

HumaneWatch.org is a project of the nonprofit Center for Consumer Freedom, a feisty and unapologetic warrior against what it sees as over-regulation of consumers' habits. In the decade and a half since the organization was founded by Rick Berman — who also runs a for-profit communications company — it has criticized health advocates for calling obesity an epidemic and has gone after Mothers Against Drunk Driving for its support of "needlessly" low drunk-driving thresholds.

Somebody needs to get a life.