Stillwater
06-07-2006, 12:23 PM
Maginnis: Humane Society called to account
John Maginnis
La. Political Fax Weekly
www.lapolitics.com (http://www.lapolitics.com/)
Maybe it's a case, as the saying goes, of no good deed goes unpunished. Or that no institution, however well regarded, is above scrutiny, especially when it raises money from the public.
In the chaotic days following Hurricane Katrina, the Humane Society of the United States played a leading role in pet rescue and reunion efforts, operating the largest animal shelter in the state. It also raised over $30 million nationwide from web site solicitations that used the slogan, "Help Save Katrina Pets." Now the state attorney general's office wants to know where all the money went and some of the pets too. The Public Protection section is asking HSUS for documentation showing amounts of donations and receipts of expenses. It also wants records of animals sent to out-of-state shelters and adopted by new owners.
"We want to make sure that the money is being spent for the purposes they were solicited for," said assistant attorney general Susan Crawford.
"We are anxious to have the Louisiana attorney general review all our information," said HSUS president Wayne Pacelle. "We are absolutely 100 per cent confident we acted in the most faithful manner with every donor's dollar." He points to a $4.5 million donation to the Louisiana SPCA and millions more in grants to groups in Mississippi and other states that assisted, all of which are listed on its web site, hsus.org.
Crawford stopped short of describing the organization's response as fully cooperative. "There is a slight reluctance because they are nervous and resentful," she said.
"We do feel a little resentful," agreed Pacelle. "We feel we busted our tails to assist Louisiana in its time of crisis." He also noted, "There have been no allegations, so it's hard for us to rebut something that has not been leveled at us." If the numbers don't add up, the attorney general could sue HSUS and seek damages under the Unfair Trade Practices law. Key to the fact-finding is establishing a time line of how much money came in during the period that HSUS's web site was asking for donations for Katrina relief.
The attorney general's office is also seeking records of what happened to the animals that passed through the temporary shelter HSUS ran at the Lamar Dixon Expo Center in Ascension Parish.
Crawford received reports from volunteers of some animals being turned over to individuals who gave nothing more than a first name. She cites a three-year prescriptive period in the state Civil Code for owners to reclaim their animals that were lost and found or adopted. But, she said, "This was a Wild West situation where there was no law."
"We're astonished at the charge," responded Pacelle, saying his group was hampered by a strict cap the facility manager placed on the number of dogs that could be housed there. The overflow had to be shipped to shelters in Louisiana and out of state. He said the state Department of Agriculture authorized HSUS to adopt the pets to new owners after Dec. 15. Of the 10,000 animals rescued from the streets, Pacelle estimates that 2,500 were reunited with their owners.
The questions are raised at a sensitive time for the Humane Society, which has been at the State Capitol this session lobbying for the pet evacuation bill, which awaits final Senate passage, and the ban on cockfighting, which passed the Senate but died its usual death in the House Agriculture Committee.
Pacelle stresses that none of the Katrina funds raised were spent on lobbying against cockfighting.
As I pet this old dog at my feet, let's hope for the best to come out of this. The attorney general and HSUS need to resolve the fundraising and pet adoption questions. The Legislature and the administration must do their part to formulate and fund a pet evacuation plan, so as not to leave owners and groups like HSUS to cope with another overwhelming, heart-breaking debacle. A better job can be done all around. It may be Louisiana, but it can't be the Wild West again.
John Maginnis
La. Political Fax Weekly
www.lapolitics.com (http://www.lapolitics.com/)
Maybe it's a case, as the saying goes, of no good deed goes unpunished. Or that no institution, however well regarded, is above scrutiny, especially when it raises money from the public.
In the chaotic days following Hurricane Katrina, the Humane Society of the United States played a leading role in pet rescue and reunion efforts, operating the largest animal shelter in the state. It also raised over $30 million nationwide from web site solicitations that used the slogan, "Help Save Katrina Pets." Now the state attorney general's office wants to know where all the money went and some of the pets too. The Public Protection section is asking HSUS for documentation showing amounts of donations and receipts of expenses. It also wants records of animals sent to out-of-state shelters and adopted by new owners.
"We want to make sure that the money is being spent for the purposes they were solicited for," said assistant attorney general Susan Crawford.
"We are anxious to have the Louisiana attorney general review all our information," said HSUS president Wayne Pacelle. "We are absolutely 100 per cent confident we acted in the most faithful manner with every donor's dollar." He points to a $4.5 million donation to the Louisiana SPCA and millions more in grants to groups in Mississippi and other states that assisted, all of which are listed on its web site, hsus.org.
Crawford stopped short of describing the organization's response as fully cooperative. "There is a slight reluctance because they are nervous and resentful," she said.
"We do feel a little resentful," agreed Pacelle. "We feel we busted our tails to assist Louisiana in its time of crisis." He also noted, "There have been no allegations, so it's hard for us to rebut something that has not been leveled at us." If the numbers don't add up, the attorney general could sue HSUS and seek damages under the Unfair Trade Practices law. Key to the fact-finding is establishing a time line of how much money came in during the period that HSUS's web site was asking for donations for Katrina relief.
The attorney general's office is also seeking records of what happened to the animals that passed through the temporary shelter HSUS ran at the Lamar Dixon Expo Center in Ascension Parish.
Crawford received reports from volunteers of some animals being turned over to individuals who gave nothing more than a first name. She cites a three-year prescriptive period in the state Civil Code for owners to reclaim their animals that were lost and found or adopted. But, she said, "This was a Wild West situation where there was no law."
"We're astonished at the charge," responded Pacelle, saying his group was hampered by a strict cap the facility manager placed on the number of dogs that could be housed there. The overflow had to be shipped to shelters in Louisiana and out of state. He said the state Department of Agriculture authorized HSUS to adopt the pets to new owners after Dec. 15. Of the 10,000 animals rescued from the streets, Pacelle estimates that 2,500 were reunited with their owners.
The questions are raised at a sensitive time for the Humane Society, which has been at the State Capitol this session lobbying for the pet evacuation bill, which awaits final Senate passage, and the ban on cockfighting, which passed the Senate but died its usual death in the House Agriculture Committee.
Pacelle stresses that none of the Katrina funds raised were spent on lobbying against cockfighting.
As I pet this old dog at my feet, let's hope for the best to come out of this. The attorney general and HSUS need to resolve the fundraising and pet adoption questions. The Legislature and the administration must do their part to formulate and fund a pet evacuation plan, so as not to leave owners and groups like HSUS to cope with another overwhelming, heart-breaking debacle. A better job can be done all around. It may be Louisiana, but it can't be the Wild West again.