Humane Society’s Claims About Animal-Welfare Expenses Disputed

To the Editor:

Humane Society of the United States president Wayne Pacelle misled Chronicle readers by claiming that his group spends “20 percent” of its budget annually “to help shelters and directly care for animals.” (“Nonprofit Group Attacks Humane Society Over Spending of Donations,” March 11)

HSUS’s own tax records show that the real number is around one-half of 1 percent. And although the group does run five animal-care facilities, they deal with wildlife and horses, not dogs and cats. HSUS doesn’t run a single pet shelter anywhere. But you’d never know that from the group’s ubiquitous pet-focused infomercial-style TV fund-raising ads.

Equally troubling is the reporting of Marcus Owens’s remarkably uninformed opinion regarding how the Center for Consumer Freedom educates the public about deceptive charities like HSUS. The IRS has already reviewed our management practices and determined that there’s no “there” there.

Washington is full of nonprofit organizations that hire management firms to run their day-to-day operations. In the case of CCF, which devotes most of its budget to research and advertising costs, Berman and Company gives the organization excellent value for its money, even routinely waiving commissions on ad buys. We have a sterling record of carefully managing our nonprofit clients’ affairs—something Mr. Pacelle, sadly, cannot say about his own organization.

Richard Berman

President

Berman and Company

Washington

Editor’s note: The Humane Society of the United States provided information to The Chronicle outlining how it spends an average $20-million each year on programs that benefit shelters and provide care for animals. Those efforts include spay-neuter programs the charity runs; support for five animal-care centers and sanctuaries it operates; assistance to local animal shelters such as an exposition for shelter officials and an ad campaign to encourage pet adoption; and direct care and field services such as helping animals after natural disasters and a program for street dogs in Bhutan and India.