HSUS supporters

[Hypancistrus]

When you happen across one in day to day life, what do you do? Do you try to educate them about the organization they support? Have you ever swayed their opinion?

I had a HS friend on Facebook "like" an HSUS ad, and I sent her a link to Humane Watch which she never responded to. In HS she was a vegetarian, but she also loved pets. I'm not sure if it offended her that I sent her the link, but I felt compelled to try.

I recently found that my 83 year old grandma has been sending them $10 a month. She lives on a fixed income, and it's quite low. I was furious at them for "preying" on a little old widow who lives alone and is too feeble to keep pets anymore and just wants to "help animals." :realhot: I explained to her that they don't actually help animals and gave her the mailing address of our local humane society that does good work here.

 

[ShenziSixaxis]

If I ever meet one, I'll keep on walking. If I HAVE to talk to them (family or whatever), I'll explain the local donation thing and that will be it.

 

[Hypancistrus]

If I ever meet one, I'll keep on walking. If I HAVE to talk to them (family or whatever), I'll explain the local donation thing and that will be it.

I guess for some of them, that's all you can do. But I think that a lot of people truly believe that the HSUS is like a "governing body" for all local shelters that help pets. Information can really help to change their opinions.

As a HS teacher with animals in my room I get a lot of impressionable kids that try to get me to sign petitions from PETA and HSUS or ask what I think of their t-shirt bearing those groups names. I always respectfully tell them that as a person who enjoys interacting with my pets, I can't support those groups, and then briefly explain why.

 

[Irish Eyes (Mrs.Z)]

When I meet people who support HSUS, I simply explain that HSUS is "basically" an AR lobbyist group w/tons o'money thanks to some really deceptive "begging" on their part, and that if the person REALLY wants to help animals, they'd donate to their local humane society, because HSUS does precious little of that. Sometimes, it's an eye-opener for them, and sometimes, they just don't care, as they're more of the AR bent, anyway. *shrugs*

For ourselves, we've found ourselves falling in love with individual animals in local shelters, before. Because we're full up, here, we sometimes find ourselves paying for the spay or neuter of that animal we like but don't have room for, as well as its adoption fee so that 1) we get a contract saying that the particular animal won't be euthanized, and 2) the person who finally does adopt it can spend their money on more than just the basics of bringing it home. It's always nice to get "thank you" notes from the people who adopt the animal. Both they and the shelter have been helped (the shelter usually finds a home for the animal quicker when the animal's fees have been paid by someone else so that the adopter doesn't have to shell out the big bucks to adopt and alter the animal), and both are grateful for our small contribution.

 

[Hypancistrus]

That is wonderful that your shelter does that!!

 

[ShenziSixaxis]

I guess for some of them, that's all you can do. But I think that a lot of people truly believe that the HSUS is like a "governing body" for all local shelters that help pets. Information can really help to change their opinions.

Perhaps. I'll let people know about what I see in my eyes and give some reasons, but I rarely go into debates anymore. I like it, and I know somewhere there's a few others that agree with me, and that's all I need to know. Saves me from the close to unbearable stress of heated discussions.