New dog ordinance

[Mardelin]

Originally Posted by Cares4Dogs

omg!!!!

Yep! Talk about making money off of our dog's backs.....

[kjcmsw]

Originally Posted by Cares4Dogs

Yes...excluding food. The original proposal tried to put a complete ban on ALL sales of puppies PERIOD.

It will bring more creative tax deductions/ expenses, mileage to get the puppy pads, time spent with prospective buyers, candles to make the air smell good and not "doggie" (that'll work with the scentsy post!!), etc.

[YorkieChick1]

Originally Posted by 3FurryFaces

Where to begin… Most legislators don’t know the first thing about effective and appropriate animal legislation. They pass these laws to show their constituents that they are doing “something.” They would rather pass bad laws than no laws at all. More concerning is that they are influenced by one of the strongest, most effective and well-funded lobbying groups in America. The political agenda of the HSUS is clear by their actions and accomplishments. They are quickly eroding the rights of pet owners and anyone who does not share their “animal rights” views through lobbying legislators to pass laws which restrict pet ownership and pet availability. The largely unsuspecting public thinks they are donating directly to shelters and “poor animals”. The Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) is not an animal charity in the usual sense. If you look at their 2009 tax return, you find that they collected $101.6 million in revenue. They spent $6.7 million in services and grants and spent $74.1 million on “other expenses”. The other expenses are funds spent lobbying. In fact, they are under investigation by the IRS for misrepresenting themselves. Any other charity that spent a mere 7% of its revenue on services would be considered a miserable failure. These laws are not stopping any unethical people – the unethical breeders and abusers already ignore the law or move out of the jurisdiction. Studies have shown that education of the public changes behavior - not more restrictive laws. As responsible citizens and pet owners, it is incumbent upon each of us to educate ourselves on the issues affecting us and acting upon them. Contact your legislators and let them know how you feel on issues of importance to you. The AKC has a page with links to pending legislation in each state. Another helpful site is humanewatch dot org.
"My reading of history convinces me that most bad government results from too much government. Thomas Jefferson
Sorry, I will get down from my soapbox now…

Wow, I didn't know this about the HSUS!! I give them a monthly donation taken out of my checking account, I am going to have to investigate this further and maybe move my donation somewhere else!! How about the ASPCA?? Are they lobbyists too??

[Woogie Man]

Originally Posted by YorkieChick1

Wow, I didn't know this about the HSUS!! I give them a monthly donation taken out of my checking account, I am going to have to investigate this further and maybe move my donation somewhere else!! How about the ASPCA?? Are they lobbyists too??

Who one decides to support is strictly a personal decision. My own opinion is that HSUS takes in way too much money to see so little actually help animals in need. A lot of people think that HSUS is somehow connected to local shelters. They are not and local shelters don't benefit from donations made to HSUS.

As for the ASPCA, I was kind of neutral about them until I came across this story, which is in this thread http://www.yorkietalk.com/forums/ani...-new-york.html

I like these two national groups. They both do wonderful work, IMO.

No Kill Advocacy Home Page

Best Friends Animal Society Home Page

I donate to my local humane society (HSSM..Humane Society of South Mississipi). It's not a no-kill shelter, but they do a great job considering the scope of the problems here. I don't think you can go wrong in helping out the animals in your own area. In this economy, many local shelters are feeling the pinch and it's the animals that suffer from this.

[3FurryFaces]

Originally Posted by YorkieChick1

Wow, I didn't know this about the HSUS!! I give them a monthly donation taken out of my checking account, I am going to have to investigate this further and maybe move my donation somewhere else!! How about the ASPCA?? Are they lobbyists too??

Most ASPCA organizations are reliable and actually operate shelters which provide direct medical and rehabilitative care to animals. Check out one in your area and help support those efforts. Charity watch organizations provide information on how well they live up to their claims. Look into Charity Navigator for your state.

[YorkieChick1]

Thanks for the advice!! I do love Best Friends and already donate to them but I think I am going to move my money locally. I was giving to the HSUS because I thought they were using the money to help shut down puppymills and get stronger laws in force to close them.

[Cares4Dogs]

The humane society in my area only gives a dog 3 days to be adopted..then they put them down. I dont mind helping a no-kill shelter but I dont want to help a place that has dogs on death row.

From my understanding, HSUS can claim to be no-kill but then get an influx of dogs and put them down.

The HSUS in a nearby town of about 40k population..isnt totally a no-kill. The put down wild cats and vicious dogs. They have very few dogs to adopt out. They only had about 7 dogs when I visited. They dont have a ban on breeding, but they do require breeders register their dogs as breeders and pay for an annual license. They also require all puppies to be thoroughly examined by a vet before being sold. That seems to work for them.

[Cares4Dogs]

Originally Posted by kjcmsw

It will bring more creative tax deductions/ expenses, mileage to get the puppy pads, time spent with prospective buyers, candles to make the air smell good and not "doggie" (that'll work with the scentsy post!!), etc.

HAHAHA thats funny. I read that the expenses have to be reasonable, but they didnt give many details.

[Mardelin]

Originally Posted by Cares4Dogs

The humane society in my area only gives a dog 3 days to be adopted..then they put them down. I dont mind helping a no-kill shelter but I dont want to help a place that has dogs on death row.

From my understanding, HSUS can claim to be no-kill but then get an influx of dogs and put them down.

The HSUS in a nearby town of about 40k population..isnt totally a no-kill. The put down wild cats and vicious dogs. They have very few dogs to adopt out. They only had about 7 dogs when I visited. They dont have a ban on breeding, but they do require breeders register their dogs as breeders and pay for an annual license. They also require all puppies to be thoroughly examined by a vet before being sold. That seems to work for them.

The HSUS is completely different than the local Humane Society. HSUS does not have a shelter.

[Mardelin]

Originally Posted by Cares4Dogs

HAHAHA thats funny. I read that the expenses have to be reasonable, but they didnt give many details.

Expenses would probably need to be reported to whoever is going to manage compliance, not to the Tax Man. Although, it could be to both; the tax man (they want the money) and whoever is going to oversee the new law.

[Woogie Man]

Originally Posted by YorkieChick1

Thanks for the advice!! I do love Best Friends and already donate to them but I think I am going to move my money locally. I was giving to the HSUS because I thought they were using the money to help shut down puppymills and get stronger laws in force to close them.

It's wonderful that you care enough to support animals in need. Most local shelters appreciate not only cash donations, but also donations of food. I split my support between cash and food. So many people donate food, but it's often the lowest quality (cheapest) food they can find. Their hearts are in the right place, but the shelter workers here (and the animals) really appreciate it when they get some decent food. And nothing wrong with a big box of dog biscuits or training treats that the volunteer walkers can use for rewards.

If you make a food donation, don't forget the kitty cats. Most shelters have more cats than dogs at any given time.

Have a great day !!

[Nancy1999]

I wouldn't say that the Humane Society of the United States is totally unconnected from local Humane Societies. While they don't give them any money, they do help educate them on how to start and operate a local facility.

Here are some of the things that The HSUS provides local animal shelters:

National shelter standards, guidelines and recommendations for care and operations, as well as our Shelter Evaluation Program, which provides in-depth animal shelter evaluations.

Training programs, including our training university, Humane Society University, and Animal Care Expo, the nation's largest trade and educational show for animal shelter professionals.

A bi-monthly magazine and website, Animal Sheltering and AnimalSheltering.org Home, widely considered to be the most comprehensive resource for shelter professionals.
The Ad Council has partnered with The HSUS and Maddie's Fund on The Shelter Pet Project, a nationwide public service advertising campaign to boost pet adoptions. The three-year, nationwide campaign centers on two main messages: 1) Shelter pets are loving, well-adjusted animals who are homeless through no fault of their own and 2) When considering adding a pet to the family, ADOPT! Free PSAs have been provided to more than 33,000 media markets nationwide. This multi-million dollar campaign can change the lives of millions of homeless pets.
Outreach through Humanesociety.org to help citizens find, understand and support their local shelters, plus classroom support for humane education programs.
A cooperative buying service to provide discounts to shelters on a wide variety of products and services.
Inspiration and direction in the establishment of a new federation of humane societies.
Disaster assistance, including on-the-scene leadership in the collection and care of animals during crises. Plus, The HSUS assists in the rebuilding of animal shelters damaged in disasters, and supplements local budgets for unexpected disaster expenses. In recent years, these support efforts have channeled millions of urgently-needed dollars to local animal shelters.
Millions of dollars in fresh support have helped local shelters and veterinary schools launch new spay and neuter efforts for pets in regions recovering from disaster. Specifically, a multi-million dollar research project and subsequent advertising campaign in Louisiana and Mississippi to increase rates of spay/neuter among pet owners. This focused program has also resulted in a drastic increase of spay/neuter services provided in these two states – approximately 40-50,000 additional surgeries will take place this year in these two underserved states.
Direct and indirect support for spay and neuter programs, such as providing customizeable advertising materials at no charge, and through Spay Day, an annual campaign designed to create an international wave of awareness and activity surrounding spaying and neutering, which raises hundreds of thousands of dollars for direct spay/neuter services.
Standby assistance for a variety of other needs including legislation, operational guidance and more.
Fundraising events for local shelters and rescue groups, such as Walk for the Animals and Spay Day.
Financial assistance in the form of scholarships, periodic grants and other opportunities. We provide resources designed to assist shelters in locating and obtaining funding through other sources.
Published books on topics ranging from coalition building, fundraising, volunteer management and more to help shelters and rescues do their jobs better.
National and global advocacy for the core mission and values of America's animal shelters.

Today, recognizing that local animal shelters cannot handle all animal needs by themselves, The HSUS and its partner, The Fund for Animals, provide sanctuary and direct care to thousands of creatures, big and small—making the duo among the largest and most diverse sanctuary operators in the United States. Together, we operate the Cleveland Amory Black Beauty Ranch in east Texas—which is permanent home to more than 1,300 rescued animals—and Oregon's Duchess Sanctuary, a refuge for abused, abandoned, and homeless horses.

We also operate three Wildlife Centers in south Florida, southern California and Cape Cod, Mass., which provide medical treatment to thousands of injured animals each year. These sanctuaries support local, state and national law enforcement officials as well as wildlife agencies and local shelters when they are confronted with wild and exotic animals in need, or in large-scale instances of animal cruelty. And we support a Rabbit Sanctuary in South Carolina.

Additionally, through its affiliate Humane Society Veterinary Medical Association, The HSUS provides no-cost veterinary care to dogs and cats in low-income communities around the world. In 2009, we treated more than 8,000 animals and provided veterinary care valued at $1.2 million in free services.

How is The HSUS Affiliated With Your Local Humane Society? : The Humane Society of the United States

I will add, I'm not the fan I once was, while I do still believe that they do support good breeders, when I heard they were selling a vegetarian dog food, I lost respect for them, and I saw them more as a business than as a humane society.

[YorkieChick1]

Originally Posted by Nancy1999

I will add, I'm not the fan I once was, while I do still believe that they do support good breeders, when I heard they were selling a vegetarian dog food, I lost respect for them, and I saw them more as a business than as a humane society.

I would lose respect for this too!! Dogs are carnivores, why in the h*&^ would they need a vegetarian food???

[gemy]

Originally Posted by YorkieChick1

Wow, I didn't know this about the HSUS!! I give them a monthly donation taken out of my checking account, I am going to have to investigate this further and maybe move my donation somewhere else!! How about the ASPCA?? Are they lobbyists too??

And I wonder how did they ever survive an audit? That is underreporting at it's most egregious.

Let me clarify the reporting of income and expenses, must be categorized in meaningfull packets of informative reporting. Revenue IRS or RevCanada, does send out detailed tax reporting forms even if you are a NPO (NonProfit and or Charity Organization).

Other Expenses or Other Income on an Income and Expense Statement is usually between 5-10% of total Income or total Expense.

[Nancy1999]

Originally Posted by YorkieChick1

I would lose respect for this too!! Dogs are carnivores, why in the h*&^ would they need a vegetarian food???

I guess for dog owners who were vegetarian, but is that really respecting the animal/dog? What an individual dog owner decides is one thing, but there are enough "businesses" that will cater to this. With this act, they did put themselves over the line as a moneymaker, rather than an organization who really had a respect for animals in my opinion. Not saying they are all bad, and we cannot judge a bill as good or bad just because they back it.