Posted on 07/31/2012 1:16:37 AM PDT by Bullish
The Humane Society of the United States, an organization that does next to nothing for animal shelters but sues, badgers and lobbies politicians and businesses into adopting its radical animals rights agenda, is getting a taste of its own medicine.
In a little-reported ruling by a judge in the District of Columbia earlier this month, the HSUS is going to court to face charges under RICO statues on racketeering, obstruction of justice, malicious prosecution and other charges for a lawsuit it brought and lost against Ringling Brothers Circus' parent company Feld Entertainment, Inc.
After winning the case alleging mistreatment of elephants in its circuses brought by Friends of Animals (later merged into HSUS), the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA) and the Animal Welfare Institute (AWI), lawyers at Feld filed a countersuit with a litany of charges ranging from bribery to money laundering to racketeering. The attorneys for the animal rights groups asked the judge to dismiss all charges, but most remained because the evidence was overwhelming. So in early August, HSUS will be facing the music in a case that should attract the attention of hunters, ranchers, farmers and anyone impacted by HSUS' radical animal rights agenda.
District judge Emmet G. Sullivan did dismiss allegations of mail and wire fraud, but he did so only because Feld didn't have standing to file this charge. His ruling all but set the stage for a class-action RICO lawsuit against HSUS for misrepresenting itself in its fundraising campaigns across the nation. This lawsuit easily could bankrupt HSUS, put it out of business and send some of its top executives to prison.
For the first time, a group has fought back against the animal rights and environmental extremists who have been setting policy in this country for the past 20 years or more. Now, instead of getting rich off their lawsuits and fundraising schemes that misrepresent their efforts and accomplishments, they could be driven out of business. These groups have cost the farming and ranching industry jobs and raised the price of products we buy every day. They are behind the efforts to ban sport hunting across the nation. They have forced state wildlife and fishery agencies to waste countless millions of dollars on lawsuits and have spearheaded policies and legislation like the Marine Life Protection Act (MLPA), which has ruined livelihoods in recreational and commercial fishing without helping marine resources.
These groups operate with surly arrogance and believe they are above the law. Thankfully, that is not the case. Stay tuned.
More at link....
BTW, have you ever been to a dog party? It’s been several years, but we played party games the last time I went. If you can imagine being in a room with more than 50 Golden Retrievers (and trying to juggle a plate and eat your brat) you can get a sense of what it is like.
Anyhow, I have to tell you about “dog bowling”. They set up 2 liter empty plastic soda pop containers in the configuration of bowling pins. The competitors are supposed to walk, or run, their dogs through the bottles. The dog that knocks down the most bottles wins a prize. Sounds easy?
Not so fast.
Nearly ALL of the Goldens avoid the bottles. Mine jumped OVER all of them to great laughter. “We can tell that’s an agility dog,” they shouted. Most of them carefully picked their way through the maze of bottles and knocked over very few. I think the winner knocked over only 2 (clumsy dog).
It depends on the individuals running that local group. I have had very positive experience with the Cocker Rescue of Va and know of others that have as well.
Sounds like a scenario one of my friends had with a bird rescue group. She had to sign a document saying she would feed the bird only one certain type of food, which, coincidentally, the rescue group sold. Since she couldn’t buy it anywhere else, it had to be purchased from them. When she didn’t show up to buy the food, they called and harassed her in a big way, but she didn’t back down. They had required multiple interviews and a home visit.
Years ago we had a couple of litters of Basenji puppies and I was VERY picky about the homes they went to, but nothing to the extent of some rescue groups.
The Arizona Humane Society has been great to work with. The first cat my son bought died after just 2 weeks. It probably had a congenital heart defect that wasn’t detected. When we returned to the HSociety, they were very sweet and allowed my son to pick another cat, who we have spoiled rotten.
Here in Colorado PetSmart is associated with “Every Creature Counts”. They have such Nazi requirements to adopt few do. ECC also never answers their phones, decisions take days and even weeks. etc. Word is they also put down more animals than they adopt out, although they claim “zero kill”, just like PETA that kills most of the animals they take in, too. They would rather bitch to us about animal care and then kill those animals than let them be adopted outside of what they think their care should be.
Finally. Not only is this group a criminal enterprise, but were well known for capturing peoples pets and killing them in the Norfolk area for years. This truly is a domestic terrorist organization that needs to be brought down hard.
PETA is in Norfolk, not HSUS - but your point is well taken.
That couple sounds like identity thieves at best. People who are suspicious and paranoid are always untrustworthy themselves. They should be investigated and prosecuted if anything is not on the up and up.
Hubby and I are getting on, and we probably can’t promise a kitten or puppy forever, so our four cats will probably be our last pets. There are two local shelters, Humane Society of [our county] and Alchemy Acres. We visit them and donate food and cash, and we know their procedures. They are no kill, but they would never let a hopelessly ill or injured animal suffer. Neither of them is affiliated in any way with the HSUS or any other leftist “animal rights” group.
BTW, animals have no rights. We have been directed by God to perform good animal husbandry. There are no rights for animals; there are only responsibilities with regard to their welfare for us. It’s a simple as that.
PETA, HSUS, and others are an abomination on the earth. I hope what is happening to HSUS happens to every dang one of them that tortures and kills animals and puts donations into their own pockets and into the coffers of communist causes.
It is SO about time.
Some rescues and shelters are wonderful and amazing groups of people and others... Well, you know. They believe that only they can take care of animals and they think animals are exactly like people only better. Being involved in the dog world since the 1980s I have seen it all. I love animals, but large numbers of Americans are crazy. There, I said it.
Your story made me laugh! I do photos every year for our local EGRR (golden rescue down here) and always have a good time meeting the dogs and their families. What a great bunch! When someone calls me for a puppy I usually ask them if they have considered a rescue first. Sometimes they end up doing just that. It does my heart good.
“I love animals, but large numbers of Americans are crazy. There, I said it.”
ROFL
And I second it!
Trying to talk any individual or family into pet adoption is foolish, regardless of species, type or breed.
I hope that family didn’t get that particular dog; it doesn’t sound like they were a good fit for each other.
The family was Jewish. The father wore a yamaka(sp?) and I never heard on the local news about a pitt bull attacking 3 Jewish children. So either the dog turned out OK or they didn’t take it. I really did feel guilty that I didn’t say something to the woman trying to talk them into taking the dog.
The story starts off with the mention of the ASPCA and the Animal Welfare Institute being involved in this lawsuit and then there’s only the HSUSA. What gives? Weren’t the other two organizations involved in the countersuit? If not, why not?
And don’t forget the group that has been behind a lot of the smoker bans and food attacks - CSPI - Center for Science in the Public Interest. It is closely associated with PETA and has a goal of destroying the food and beverage industry as we know it when it comes to restaurants and bars.
I can imagine that...hilarious!
It’s about time! Maybe the tide will turn & pet owners can begin the arduous task of rolling back the draconian laws that have been bullied & bought into local & state governments. Don’t forget that Wayne Pacelle (head of HSUS) & Cass Sunstein are big buddies.
Our Humane Society in Indianapolis has a rather tainted reputation too. Bout 15 years ago I had a run in with the law [misdemeanor] and had to perform 40 hours of community service. What an eye-opener when I volunteered with the HS.
Some years prior a crazy old cat lady left her home and entire estate - in the millions iirc entirely to them. They added a nice new addition onto her house and totally re-modeled the house as well but the kicker was they still paid the help dismally something less than $10/hr and they easily tripled their staff by taking community service workers like me for free.
I had no idea how they basically were making money on arrivals, departures and every other option they could nickel and dime the public for while simply bankrolling so much more with interest.
How many millions and billions are tied up in universites and other public organizations while their fees are simply astronomical or at the least much higher than needed? - it is simply criminal imho.
When God does His judging it will be a real eye-opener how much poorer all of society is so these institutions can tie up millions and billions of dollars they bilk from the public unawares.
The morning shift was fairly nasty in terms of cleaning up all the pet pens just before the folks would come in to see if they’d qualify for adopting one. After the initial cleanings most of the ‘volunteer’ help was left to stand around and continue cleaning, watering, and feeding as needed. Was too dull for me so I asked if we could give the dogs/puppies baths. Made me feel a lot better and hopefully resulted in more adoptions just to see and hold these dogs at their best.
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