Animal Rights activists groups-what is behind their self proclaimed 'wildlife specialists' facade?

By Zuzana Kukol

   Not a day goes by that we don’t read about animal rights, AR, groups like HSUS, API, IFAW  and PETA trying to ban or severely limit private ownership, or some other use, of animals in our society. Very cleverly, they manipulate and use any isolated animal incident to accomplish their goal of no animals in captivity. They are shrewdly packaging themselves as wildlife animal specialist to get media and legislative coverage and respect.

  Just as cunningly, with ulterior motives in mind, they present themselves as animal lovers and  saviors to the unsuspecting public who naively donates to them

thinking they are helping animals in shelters, when in reality, very little to nothing goes to help the animals directly. Most money is spent on advertising, legislation, fancy offices, traveling perks and fat salaries of top AR executives.

 Experts on misinformation?

 Research using JustGive.org data (a nonprofit organization whose mission is to connect people with the charities and causes) reveals that none of the main AR groups’ leaders pushing for more animal bans and regulations has any noteworthy hands on animal husbandry experience.

 They are mostly just career politicians whose main experience is in non profit activist sector rather than productive private sector. Having no clue about the real life animal welfare, AW, issues, they often waste USDA’s time by filing frivolous complaints.

U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA) Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS), is the government agency that regulates commercial exhibition of certain animals.

Animal Care is the division of the USDA that is responsible for the enforcement of the federal Animal Welfare Act (AWA).  The Act requires that minimum standards for the humane care and use of animals be met at licensed facilities engaged in activities regulated under the law. Many USDA inspectors themselves are veterinarians; all are trained in animal welfare issues.

What makes AR bigger animal welfare experts than USDA or us,  private animal owners?  

HSUS-Humane Society of The United States Chief Executive is Mr. Wayne Pacelle and some of his major accomplishments, according to JustGive are " His initiatives include creating a campaigns division and launching an animal protection litigation department" and "As a result of these efforts, Campaigns and Elections named him *a rising star in politics*". His estimated income is $350.000.

But what about the animals?  Shouldn't they be the stars?

Paul G. Irwin, former HSUS President, salary was $612,226  (Using information reported on an organization's most recent Form 990, we include as compensation an individual's salary, cash bonuses, and expense accounts and other allowances. It doesn’t include contributions to benefit plans or compensation deferred to a future date.)    

So, who are the biggest beneficiaries of purported animal suffering…?

The one with the biggest sob story wins, and HSUS knows how to make them big….their bank accounts, not the amount of actual help that goes to the animals.

One page on HSUS website screams "Siegfried & Roy Incident Underscores the Dangers of Exotic Pets", never mind that Roy survived and only one person gets killed by a big cat each year in USA, and this statistic includes  all owners, commercial and non commercial as well as Zoos.

However, HSUS dog page says: “There are over 4.5 million dog bites each year. This is an estimate as there is no central reporting agency for dog bites, thus breed and other information is not captured. Out of the millions of bites, about 10-20 are fatal each year. While certainly tragic, it represents a very small number statistically and should not be considered as a basis for sweeping legislative action.”

Well, I guess humans killed by big cats are somewhat more valuable than humans killed by dogs???

Hey, pick a side of the fence and stay there. There's nothing like a near-fatal tiger attack on a celebrity like Roy Horn to increase HSUS's profile, publicity and income. I guess we are back to where the money is.

API-Animal Protection Institute Chief Executive Ms. Michelle Thew  relocated to the U.S. from the U.K. in 2003 to lead API with more than 15 years of experience in campaign efforts, working with governments, grassroots networks, and media across and has a background in psychology as well as post-graduate qualifications in management and strategic planning in the nonprofit sector.

Is she even a citizen? Why should a foreigner, recent arrival, tell us how to run OUR country? It has been reported however, that she is being exported back to the UK in November 2006.She is returning to the British Union for the Abolition of Vivisection  BUAV as CEO after three years leading the Animal Protection Institute headquartered in Sacramento, California USA.

IFAW-International Fund for Animal Welfare, Inc. Chief Executive Mr. Fred O’Regan, before becoming president of IFAW, Mr. O'Regan, worked for Peace Corps, developed programs for poor and black communities in South Africa and did some teaching and writings on community-based economic development among the poor.

Did he do anything with the animals?

PETA-People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals Chief Executive is Ms. Ingrid Newkirk, mostly known for speaking on animal rights issues and campaigns against zoos, circuses, laboratories and farmers.

Wasting time of people who work for living, PETA dug their own hole by urging kids to drink beer instead of milk. Besides, in today’s world, who would respect the vegetarian group portraying women as a piece of meat?

It is time we, private exotic and wild animal owners, got more active in educating public, media, politicians and legislators.

We need to advise them to exercise extreme caution, and thoroughly research and ask for proofs of  the often misleading claims of numerous Animal Rights  groups who profess themselves to be wild and exotic animal experts .

Considering the credentials, or lack of therefore, of the main AR groups, why is it that we are losing big time in the legislative area?

Why are we letting animal husbandry amateurs in suits and ties legislate us, exotic and wild animal owners, to extinction?