The March 10 article about animal shelters is troubling. Equally troubling was the lack of follow-up reporting on the comment by Kathryn Callahan, Kentucky director for the Humane Society of the United States: “A shortage of money is no excuse …”
All of the shelters mentioned in the article need funding. The Humane Society budget in 2008 and 2009 was more than $100 million. Of that, only 0.5 percent and 0.8 percent, respectively, went to fund shelters. That equates to $500,000 to $800,000 for shelters in the United States, which amounts to $10,000 to $16,000 per state.
It is a shame that an organization solicits fund based on misrepresentations. That contribution request with the cute kitten is unacceptable when $33 million is spent on lobbying and $16 million goes to executive officers’ pensions.
I contacted the animal shelters in Fayette and Woodford counties and was told they do not receive any support from HSUS. Send contributions to local or other animal shelters instead.
