Listen to this articleIn April, state residents raised millions of dollars for philanthropic causes ranging from helping troubled youth to cleaning up the environment for Arizona gives day. It’s an annual event that helps boost support for organizations that invest in local communities – a wise move considering some large national groups engage in questionable marketing or fundraising tactics.
A new report details how the country’s two best-known animal rights groups – the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA) and the Humane Society of the United States – do not operate or spend money as many assume. Arizona donors beware.
Despite similar names, the Humane Society of the United States is not affiliated with local humane societies and does not operate a single pet shelter. The ASPCA, meanwhile, runs an adoption center in New York City but is not linked to other SPCAs across the country. It’s a case of mistaken identity that many Arizonans are victims of. In fact, recent research discover that about 8 in 10 Americans mistakenly believe that national organizations are umbrella groups for local pet shelters.
Organizations based in New York and Washington, DC, also dedicate scarce financial resources to financially support local operations.
An analysis of tax documents from my organization, the Center for Environment and Welfare, concludes that these two national organizations are leaving Arizona’s homeless cats and dogs behind. According to its latest financial records, the ASPCA reported zero financial grants to pet shelters in Arizona in 2022, while the Humane Society of the United States gave an underwhelming $500.
Considering the ASPCA It is Humane Society of the United States combined annual budgets of more than $500 million, this represents less than a drop in the ocean. It’s an unfortunate pattern occurring across the country. Nationwide, the Humane Society of the United States gives just 1% of its total budget to local pet shelters through financial grants. Meanwhile, the ASPCA isn’t doing much better, giving less than 2%.
If Arizona animal lovers are generously supporting the two animal advocacy giants, but the money isn’t going back to help the state’s pet shelters, it raises the question: where do the donations go? Executive compensation, bloated investment accounts and an expensive advertising regime take priority over local pet shelter grant programs.
The leader of the ASPCA, for example, earns more than a million dollars a year, with millions more paid to the organization’s other executives. The ASPCA and the Humane Society of the United States have eight-figure advertising budgets and a combined total of $650 million parked in investments. Shouldn’t more of this money be given to local pet shelters?
This is not to say that either organization does nothing to help animals. However, many Arizonans likely donate to groups mistakenly believing the money will end up supporting homeless dogs and cats in their community. And the confusion excludes local pet shelters that might otherwise receive financial support.
In fact, according to a national survey of local pet shelters and rescues, almost two thirds of shelters surveyed report that confusion results in fewer donations.
Arizona is home to numerous local, regional and state groups that effectively help homeless dogs and cats. These are the organizations that animal lovers should donate to instead of the ASPCA or the Humane Society of the United States if they want to truly make a difference at the pet shelters in their community.
Jack Hubbard is the executive director of Center for Environment and Wellbeing.
