In A Nutshell: Basic Facts about Pets, HSUS and Legislation

Basic Facts

1. 2.5 million animals are killed in shelters every year.
2. 17 million homes become available every year
3. 70% of animals killed in shelters are feral cats
4. The number of animals killed in shelters has dropped by over 70% over the past 30 years.
5. 70-80% of animals in shelters are sterilized adults brought in for behavioral problems. Puppies are rare, as are purebreds. It is an owner retention problem, not an overbreeding problem.
6. 87% of pet dogs are spayed/neutered, as are 91.5% of cats – without oppressive laws.
7. Over 300,000 dogs are imported into this country every year from third world countries.
8. Thousands more are imported by rescue groups (such as Golden Retriever Club of L.A.)
9. There is a shortage of pets in many areas of the country – rescue groups and shelters are transporting dogs to fill the demand.
10. Myth: 1 cat can produce 420,000 cats in 7 years. Reality: 1 cat can produce about 3200 kittens over 12 years. Similar numbers exist for the myth that 1 dog can produce 67,000 in 6 years.
11. Spaying and neutering, especially at an early age, leads to shortened lives and many health complications, including bone cancer, prostate cancer, and many other deadly diseases.
12. Mixed breeds are not healthier than purebreds. Of 532 genetic diseases, mixed breeds carry 220. Of purebred dogs, the Poodle ranks highest with 145.

Humane Society of the United States

13. Spends less than 1% of its income on helping animals.
14. Does not own or operate any shelters in the U.S.
15. Is under investigation by the IRS regarding its “charitable” status.
16. Uses emotional, misleading videos of caged pets to initiate donations.
17. Uses the money from the millions donated to lobbying for incrementally restrictive laws designed to end pet ownership, agriculture, zoos and any other relationship between humans and animals.
18. Includes many former employees of PeTA, including Wayne Pacelle.
19. Includes several board members who are known domestic terrorists (John Goodwin, etc.)

Legislation

20. Mandatory spay/neuter has been a failure wherever it has been imposed. More animals die, licensing and rabies vaccinations decrease, and costs rise.
21. Breed specific legislation has been a failure wherever it has been imposed. No breed is inherently dangerous and breed identification is difficult, making it unconstitutionally vague.
22. Pit bulls rank in the high 80’s in temperament testing, surpassing Golden Retrievers.
23. Dog bites are very rare, averaging 16 deaths per year (for the past 100 years), compared to 43,730 from cars, 14,400 from falls, 200 from plane crashes and 50 from being struck by lightning.
24. Seemingly innocuous laws (such as the PUPS bill) sponsored by animal rights groups such as HSUS are designed to incrementally make pet ownership more difficult, and eventually, impossible. A new law being proposed by Hawaii will make the sale of pets illegal in that state.