Celebrity Hounds vs. Work Horses

In my last Care2 post, I wrote about three top animal welfare organizations that are suing the estate of Leona Helmsley for money earmarked for the care of dogs. They are trying to overturn a court ruling that allows the trustees of the estate to give away money at their discretion for other purposes.

Some of the comments made by readers questioned the motives behind the lawsuit and were suspicious about the funds ever reaching local rescue groups that are in the daily trenches saving the lives of abused pets.

I began to wonder the same thing, especially after hearing about a conference held earlier this week by the Humane Alliance. This is a non-profit group that works with 55 independent animal organizations in various cities to “end shelter overpopulation by providing high-volume, high-quality, targeted, affordable sterilization services of companion animals.” But, their conference went virtually unnoticed by the media.

It seems that animal welfare groups come from two camps: the “work horses” vs. the “celebrity hounds.”

One of the reasons Wayne Pacelle of HSUS, gave for going after the Helmsley estate was that the money could be used to start low-cost spay and neuter clinics across the country; a feat the Humane Alliance has been accomplishing with hard work and little fanfare.

The Humane Alliance started in Asheville, NC as an answer to relieve the stress the local animal shelter was experiencing because of overpopulation. The group opened a small non-profit spay and neuter clinic in 1994. Today this one clinic has sterilized 195,000 cats and dogs.

In 2003, the group realized they could duplicate their successful clinic model in other parts of the country so they assembled a team and formed the National Spay and Neuter Response Team (NSNRT). The team would mentor interested animal organizations. They put out the word to rescue groups and hoped for 50 participants at their first conference. They were floored when 165 groups attended.

In 2005, armed with $1 million grants from both Petsmart Charities and the ASPCA, the Humane Alliance began working with 55 organizations (approximately 350 professionals) from 23 states to open and operate 55 spay/neuter clinics. These groups sterilize more than 350,000 companion animals annually. Their 10-year plan calls for training 2,000 professionals and spaying/neutering 5.3 million pets.

This will prevent 4 million unwanted kittens from being born and 2.5 million puppies. Pretty good work for a group that gets little recognition.

Another work horse organization, the Heaven Can Wait Animal Society from Las Vegas, NV was in attendance at the Humane Alliance conference. Nearly 10 years ago, the founders of the rescue group realized that pet overpopulation could not be solved solely through the adoption of homeless pets. With help from a local veterinarian who shared his clinic with the group, HCWS has successfully been sterilizing 8,000 – 9,000 at-risk cats and dogs from disadvantaged neighborhoods and feral cats, every year. And for the most part, these spays/neuters have been funded through private donations.

This past summer, HCWS opened their own low-cost spay and neuter clinic. Their goal is to sterilize 13,000 cats and dogs annually. The group was invited to the conference to share their story of how they were able to open a clinic in one of the worst economic times in U.S. history.

So whether or not the top national animal welfare groups get the glory and media attention by freeing up funds for homeless pets, rest assure that the “work horses” will continue their efforts to successfully stop pet overpopulation and the senseless suffering of homeless pets.

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11:07AM PDT on Sep 4, 2009

Responsible breeders, even of show animals, are in favor of neuter/spay programs. Please don't lump them in with those who run puppy or kitten mills. Responsible breeders want these monsters stopped.

send a green star

P H.

8:41PM PDT on Sep 3, 2009

Mary C,

I would one day like to visit Best Friends, my yoga teacher went and said it was fantastic.

Janet T.

4:17PM PDT on Sep 1, 2009

Yes, show breeders have bought into and are spreading the nonsense. They don't like any spay/neuter laws, even those with exemptions for "reputable" breeders, so are aligned with the front groups for animal exploitation industries who want to shut down all animal welfare improvements. The factory farmers, fur manufacturers, pharmaceutical companies, Ringling Bros circus...all make huge profits off of animal suffering and have no problem lying to protect every bloody penny.

Mary C.

1:31PM PDT on Sep 1, 2009

Janet T, show breeders also believe PETA and HSUS etc want to end pet ownership.

PH, I am saving my pennies so I can one day visit Best Friends. Reading the book Best Friends, how they got their start, made me realize I also could start an animal rescue!

12:01PM PDT on Sep 1, 2009

Come on folks, use your critical thinking skills. Do you really believe that any animal protection group wants to eliminate pets? That is utter nonsense cooked up by the radical breeder groups who want to continue allowing puppy mills for profit. Undoubtedly Petland is involved in the scare campaign, as they sell puppy mill puppies and refuse to stop. HSUS has an ongoing campaign (yes, they do care about kitties and doggies) to shut down Petland, which is threatened enough to make up such unbelievable pablum that apparently some of you are swallowing. Do some research before taking anything as truth.

Elsie F.

10:31AM PDT on Sep 1, 2009

The National Spay & Neuter Response Team (NSNRT) helped set up a spay clinic in our area (Grand Rapids, Michigan.) That clinic has proven to be an impressively efficient and beneficial organization. One of our local veterinarians, who was known as an excellent surgeon, became the Chief of Surgery at that clinic, and we are all very proud of him. He makes certain that medical standards at that clinic are of the highest quality. I wish him, as well as NSNRT, the greatest level of success possible, but they don't really need my wishes. They are creating their own success.

8:42AM PDT on Sep 1, 2009

The article also didn't mention Best Friends animal sanctuary.

Ct C.

7:06AM PDT on Sep 1, 2009

FYI: The ASPCA spays/neuters over 30,000 animals for free and at greatly reduced cost each year. It also finds homes for over 3,2000 dogs and cats annually. It provides millions of dollars in charity veterinary care to animals in need, as well as behavioral aand medical rehabilitation to many of its shelter's animals. On top of that, it investigates crimes against animals in NYC and helps care for and rescue animals from large scale animal crimes, often in partnership with HSUS and other large groups. To say that the ASPCA does not work hard in the trenches for animals is simply incorrect.

As the author above quickly notes, the ASPCA remains one of Humane Alliance's largest supporters. It also supports animal welfare groups across the country in various ways.

4:54AM PDT on Sep 1, 2009

Nora, they made the comment, didn't they? And sea kittens?? Really now. And don't they want to END pet ownership? Sorry. I'll not give up having a dog as s best friend.

And I never "tarred anyone with the same brush" as you say. And you don't know me or what I do.

And there is good and bad within the same organization. And I wasn't saying anything bad. Just that more and more people take them less seriously with some of the extreme stuff. And THAT is a fact.

Nora J.

6:17PM PDT on Aug 31, 2009

Mary C,

'When large AR groups start having a meltdown over a swatted fly, I tend to take them less seriously, as do most people.'

If you are referring to PETA, they were goaded into making a comment about the fly incident by the media; they did not voluntarily offer their opinion on the matter.

Do not tar all AR groups with the same brush. As the article points out there are the good and the bad out there. We need to do our research and only support those who are honest and get things done.