For Immediate Release
November 30, 2011
November 30, 2011
Local Shelters Get New National Advocate in Humane Society for Shelter Pets
Humane Society for Shelter Pets Launches National Campaign to Educate
Americans about the Benefits of Giving to Struggling Local Shelters
WASHINGTON, DC - The Humane Society for Shelter Pets (HSSP) launched today
with three full-page ads in USA Today, Los Angeles Times, and Chicago
Tribune to inform Americans about the benefits of supporting their local pet
shelter.
Today many shelters face financial problems in part because of the
widespread belief that donations
given to national groups, such as the Humane Society of the United States
(HSUS), filter down to local pet shelters. Polling from Opinion Research
Corporation conducted in November 2011 found 71 percent of Americans believe
HSUS is an umbrella group that represents thousands of local humane
societies.
However, the reality is that just 1 percent of HSUS's $126 million budget
goes to needy hands-on pet shelters, despite a majority of their fundraising
advertising featuring dogs and cats. Every year, it's estimated that
millions of orphaned and unwanted animals are euthanized to relieve
overcrowded conditions in local animal shelters, humane societies, rescue
centers, and local government animal control agencies. America's ongoing
economic downturn continues to squeeze pet shelters' already meager
operating budgets at a time when more cash-strapped Americans are choosing
tosurrender or abandon their family pets.
"The Humane Society of the United States continues to fundraise on the
perception that they give millions of dollars every year to local pet
shelters with misleading advertising campaigns. Unfortunately for the dogs
and cats in our local pet shelters, that is not the case," said Diana Culp,
HSSP co-director and former Director of Education for HSUS.
In addition to HSSP's public outreach campaign, the organization has a
database on its website enabling visitors to quickly and easily obtain all
the information they need to donate to local shelters. HSSP will
also work to create a network of veterinarians and sheltering professionals,
giving them the tools to promote the "give local" message to their clients.
"Most local pet shelters rarely have the time or resources to speak out and
clear the air over the confusion about where donors' money goes when they
give to large, national organizations like HSUS.
The Humane Society for Shelter Pets will work to be their advocates and
ensure that donors' money is going where it's intended," said Jeff Douglas
co-director for HSSP.
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