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Connecticut "Humane" Society?
Connecticut Humane Society?
Picking up the mail today, I found a pink-hued solicitation letter for the Connecticut Humane Society's Spring Fund Drive, reminding me to send a donation, assuring me that the animals they take in "are cared for in a kind and loving way". This after I had just finished a phone call from a friend consumed with grief. She had recently brought two young, friendly cats to the Society's Westport branch, certain they would be safe there. She was stunned to find they had been put to death, along with over TWENTY other cats on Saturday, April 30, 2005. Why? Because they had caught colds. Not rabies, not distemper, not FIV or feline leukemia. Just easily treated colds. It was more convenient and less costly for the staff to kill the cats than administer antibiotics. The Connecticut Humane Society (CHS) is a privately run organization operating from its main headquarters in Newington. They have 3 branches. The Westport branch IS NOT Westport Animal Control, as is commonly thought. The Westport town-run pound is located off of South Compo Road in a small, dilapidated cement block structure. The CHS permanently closed their Stamford branch several years ago without notice, leaving a huge void for homeless animals in that area. They closed their Westport branch in 2003 for a year-long renovation, again with no notice or outreach to other shelters and rescue groups who were forced to absorb a staggering influx of unwanted animals during that time. The CHS is not obligated to report their euthanasia statistics to the State. We have no idea how many cats and dogs are "humanely" put to death at their four locations annually, but they are NOT no-kill shelters for companion animals. As reported by Animal People, a watchdog publication for animal protection charities, the CHS had $61 million of discretionary income at its disposal and another $14 million in investments held by others, yet only spent $3.7 million on programs and overhead in 2000. www.guidestar.org, the national database for nonprofit organizations, has the CHS' 2003 IRS form 990 which shows little change from 2000. The Wise Giving Alliance (www.give.org) suggests a standard of not accumulating unrestricted net assets more than three times the size of the current year's budget. The P.S. at the bottom of the solicitation letter I received, signed by CHS President Richard Johnston read, "With your help we will provide the security of a warm place to sleep, food for the starving, and medical attention if necessary". If my money is not being used for antibiotics, I certainly don't want it being used to purchase sodium pentobarbitone to kill the animals in their purported care. On April 30th they strayed far from their Mission Statement of "promoting humanity and kindness". Marketing themselves as something they aren't is an injustice not only to the Mission they are legally obligated to operate under, but to the thousands of dogs and cats in our community. You can order a subscription to Animal People's annual "Watchdog Report" which lists the financials of over 100 animal charities by going to www.animalpeoplenews.org/watchdog_report.html Be informed, know where your money goes. I know mine will no longer go to the Connecticut Humane Society. Karen Rasmussen Wilton, CT |
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