5. Celebrity Rachel Ray gave the ASPCA half a million dollars less than 2 months ago to board pets displaced by Hurricane Sandy at its Emergency Boarding Facility in Brooklyn. At the time, ASPCA president Ed Sayres promised, “The need is daunting, but the animals will not be forgotten.” After caring for just 280 animals for such a short period of time, there must be tons of cash leftover. The ASPCA should spend it fulfilling Ed Sayres’ promise.
4. Even without Rachel Ray’s generous donation, the ASPCA already has plenty of money to care for the displaced Sandy pets for as long as necessary. The Sarah McLachlan ad alone raised $30 million dollars in its first year and a half running on TV. The NY Times described it as “a landmark in nonprofit fund-raising, where such amounts are virtually unimaginable for a single commercial.” It’s been airing ever since. Nathan Winograd says, “Last year, the ASPCA had total revenues which were just shy of $150 million dollars.”
3. So much pet food was donated to feed pets impacted by Sandy, there were literally tons of excess which had to be given away in order to free up warehouse space. Again, there are plentiful resources to care for the 136 pets still at the Brooklyn ASPCA shelter for as long as necessary.
2. In any cases where the owner of the pet is known and the owner indicates an intention to take the pet back as soon as circumstances allow, the ASPCA should continue to provide temporary shelter, either at the facility or in a foster home, until the owner can reclaim the pet. That shouldn’t even be a question.
1. Killing healthy/treatable pets, such as the ones displaced by Sandy, is wrong. Dropping them off at the pound to potentially get sick or be killed is also wrong. Neither of these horrifying options should be on the table for the ASPCA. Why are they?
(Thank you Marge and Tip for sending me 2 of the links included in this post.)
If you click on the link in the CBS news article (hyperlink above in the first paragraph) to search pets currently housed at the temporary facility it takes you to the NYCACC lost pets search page. ???
I hesitate to take the ASPCA to task on this one because they haven’t actually done anything yet. Having said that, their history, including very recent history, is less than encouraging. Given the very sympathetic PR they are certainly capable of generating in this case I don’t see why they cannot adopt these animals out if they so choose.
ABSOLUTELY! The ASPCA was involved with the temporary shelter set up for the hundreds of pets left homeless by the killer Joplin tornado last year (year before?). After a month or 2, there was a huge adoption event; people came from out of state and everywhere – and EVERY ONE of the animals went to new homes. Why isn’t the ASPCA repeating that success?????
This is alarming: If you go to the ASPCA’s website and go to the area for ‘Help Reunite Sandy Pets with Their Family’, they offer a hotline for which it has a recording saying “the mailbox has not been set up”.
Has anyone asked Rachael Ray to ask the ASPCA those questions
It appears that the ASPCA doesn’t follow the laws put in place to protect the animals, and is hoarding the pet food donated and using the money for their other causes and to heck with the pets left over from Sandy. I am so sick of all these organizations holding their hands out for more money, when they have plenty. It is disgusting and horrible. Someone should call the ASPCA out for its despicable practices.
I don’t believe they’re hoarding pet food. There was such vast amounts donated that there was more than enough to go around – there was a warehouse full in Elmsford, NY that gave it away to rescues and shelters because they couldn’t find anyone directly Sandy-related who needed it.
http://news.vin.com/VINNews.aspx?articleId=25468
Really? I hadn’t heard that and I’ve kept updated on the story. Sadly, none of us knows where exactly it all went.
Excellent breakdown of financial and expected obligations to “care” and “rehome” the Sandy pets they commited publicly to shelter.
We have NOT even accounted for the funds donated during “Sandy” to the ASPCA disaster campaign!
How many times do we have to watch these organization “mislead” the generous public that does not understand the greed of the HSUS and ASPCA and the total lack of inability to just do “right” by these helpless animals.
Dear Biscuit, I’ve ALWAYS heard that the biggest portion of this money went into the ASPCA or Humane Society’s pockets. And only 1%.. now only ONE PERCENT! .. went to the animals. THIS is the reason that I do NOT give my money to them. I know that deep in my heart Sara McLaughlin and Rachael Ray did not mean for this to happen. I WILL however, give to my local shelters, food, help in volunteering, help in placing, help in networking but the money will NOT GO IN THE POCKETS OF THE ALREADY RICH from the horrible needs of the poor animals the money was meant for in the first place. SHAME ON YOU, ASPCA AND THE HUMANE SOCIETY!! IF YOU ARE GOING TO GIVE, TRY THE NORTH SHORE ANIMAL LEAGUE.. check them out.. they do good work.
Thanks..
My2CentsWorth….
Katherine “Until one has loved an animal, part of their soul remains unawakened” Kathie
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Amen, I don’t give any more either. I’d rather give to rescues, fosters, and other groups than these greedy organizations.
It is just business as usual for these groups. Rake in the money and horde it rather than spend it on the animals in need. If people saw the money the ASPCA has, and what they spend it on, they would never be able to watch Animal Cops NY again. The show makes it look like they are really stepping up to the plate–only they aren’t.
Just look at the 9+ million they had to give the Ringling Bros. Circus. And earlier, last year, the 3 million they spent to destroy the Caboodle cat sanctuary and 700 cats.
The ASPCA made it seem like those 700 cats didn’t die (and some did find homes) but they displaced other cats that didn’t make it because of them. I sure haven’t seen shelters begging for more animals because they have room to spare but I’ve seen plenty saying animals only have 24 hours left before being killed.
Until people start sending their money to no-kill groups the carnage will continue. If a group isn’t able to re-home at least 90% of the animals they take in, or are actively working towards that goal, then you shouldn’t support them with your money. Sending your money to groups such as PETAM, HSUS, and the ASPCA can and will be used to continue the killing of re-homable animals.