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| Our founders' vision was to focus our efforts on the protection of all creatures.© iStock.com |
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When The HSUS was founded in 1954, its mission was to battle large-scale national forms of cruelty such as animal fighting, inhumane slaughter, and puppy mills—problems that were too widespread and entrenched for local humane organizations to confront effectively.
The vision of our founders was to assist and strengthen the nationwide network of local animal care groups and shelters, and to focus our efforts on the protection of all creatures—not just companion animals, but farm animals and wildlife, both here and overseas.
Recent Celebrations
In the past ten days, three major victories demonstrate the depth of our continuing commitment to create a more humane world for animals—and for people.
We began campaigning against the Canadian seal hunt soon after our formation. A half century later, on May 5, the 27-nation European Union banned the import of seal pelts, a major victory in the long campaign to end the world’s largest slaughter of marine mammals.
Last year, 280,000 baby seals were bludgeoned and skinned, many while still alive. This year, fewer than 60,000 met that fate. We are proud to say that we were in the forefront of this gain for seal pups, leading the fight against this global cruelty with our affiliate, Humane Society International.
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| Thanks in large part to our efforts, the European Union banned the import of seal pelts, spelling the beginning of the end of Canada's cruel seal slaughter.© The HSUS/Gyger |
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Four days later, we transported 84 rescued mustangs to the 1,300 acre Cleveland Amory Black Beauty ranch from Nebraska where they were nearly starved.
Black Beauty Ranch in Texas is the largest of four national animal care facilities operated by The HSUS in partnership with our affiliate, The Fund for Animals.
The mustangs, who will be placed for adoption or given permanent sanctuary at Black Beauty, were among 200 starving wild horses we helped rescue two weeks earlier, providing emergency care until they were strong enough to be transported.
On May 12, The HSUS was successful in working with lawmakers to make Maine the 6th state to end the extreme confinement of animals on factory farms, banning gestation crates for pigs and veal crates for calves.
The Granite state’s humane reform follows our 2008 bellwether ballot win in California that mandates more humane treatment of laying hens, pigs, and calves in industrial agriculture. All told, more than 20 million farm animals a year will be given a little more room in which to live, and these humane reforms are having ripple effects with corporations and consumers.
All Animals
The HSUS holds the highest four-star rating from Charity Navigator, America's premier independent charity evaluator, and it meets all applicable Standards for Charity Accountability of the Better Business Bureau. We protect and safeguard animals across a broad spectrum, and we celebrate the human-animal bond every day.
Last year, we provided direct care services for 70,460 animals. They included 15,177 rescued in natural disasters, puppy mill raids, and animal fighting busts; 4,730 in lifetime sanctuary or injured creatures treated and released at our four animal care centers; and more than 33,000 dogs and cats sterilized in our annual Spay Day program.
VIDEO: See what we accomplished for animals in 2008.
Our veterinary arm, the Humane Society Veterinary Medical Association (HSVMA), worked with 500 volunteer veterinarians and sent teams to underdeveloped and impoverished areas in the U.S. and overseas to provide free care. Serving 40 rural communities, the HSVMA held 26 teaching clinics and performed more than 26,000 treatment procedures and services valued at $1.2 million on some 7,236 animals.
There When It Counts
Three years after our massive emergency deployment to the Gulf Coast in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, we continue to be engaged in assisting animals and shelters in Louisiana and Mississippi. In partnership with the pet foundation Maddie’s Fund, we launched our “After Katrina” project, investing close to $3.5 million to underwrite a major spay and neuter advertising campaign, provide grants to more than 50 animal shelters in the Gulf states, and help establish an emergency shelter and a veterinary clinic.
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| The "After Katrina" project helps Gulf Coast dogs and cats.© Reuters |
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Elsewhere, our Animal Services Consultation program provided in-depth evaluations to animal shelters across the country. A total of 57,774 people—including law enforcement officers, educators, social workers, shelter professionals, emergency services personnel, and veterinary professionals and students—attended HSUS training courses and workshops to learn how to better help and care for animals.
At the local level, we will continue to work hard to raise standards and effectiveness among animal shelters and humane groups. In addition to support for The HSUS, we encourage our members to donate to local shelters to help eliminate the tragic euthanasia of between 2 and 4 million healthy and treatable dogs and cats each year. We are partners, again with Maddie’s Fund, in an upcoming national advertising campaign to promote shelter pet adoption. Scheduled to begin in mid-summer, the campaign is the first ever undertaken by the Ad Council to benefit animals.
On a national and international scale, our work to encourage more enlightened social behavior toward animals and to reform public policy and corporate practices has the potential to touch the lives of tens of millions of animals—far more than any hands-on programs could possibly reach. That was the mission at our founding more than a half-century ago, and it remains our unyielding focus.
