The HSUS Myth

As a college student, I miss my animals from home. I would wake up to my Corgi, Teddy lying beside me, there were pastures with livestock and a barn full of cats where I grew up. I miss those moments, so I volunteer at a local animal shelter. It offers me an opportunity to give back and it reminds me of my pets back home. 

At my first volunteer orientation, the instructor said something that really stuck with me. "You might think that donating to the HSUS helps animals. Well we don't see a penny of that money." 

Despite being named the Central Missouri Humane Society, the animal organization that I volunteer at is not an affiliate of the Humane Society of the United States. In fact, being associated with the HSUS actually hurts honest animal shelters whose goal is to assist animals in local communities. 

HSUS is an organization with an agenda, and because of it shelters such as the Central Missouri Humane Society are negatively impacted. Even volunteers are surprised to learn that their donations do not to the abandoned animals of Columbia. 

When I first told a friend that I would be volunteering at the Central Missouri Humane Society she said, "That could come back to hurt you. Better not put that on a resume." Because I am an agriculture major and a member of numerous agriculture associations, any affiliation with an organization with "humane society" in the title could be potentially harmful. 

However, I know there are homeless animals in Columbia that are over-populating shelters. Last year alone the Central Missouri Humane Society had a $100,000 budget deficit because of the economy and increased animal abandonment. Obviously, HSUS donations do not go to them. Local facilities rely on donations and volunteers so that they can continue to serve communities. You will not see these organizations pleading for money on national television with adds that pull on your heartstrings. 

Simply because you volunteer at an organization with "human society" in the title does not make you an animal rights activities. I encourage everyone to volunteer and to disprove the myth about humane societies. Agriculturists should not be afraid to volunteer.