Louisiana Attorney General Investigating HSUS!!!

[kymn25]

For quite some time, there have been rumors that the Louisiana
Attorney General had plans to investigate complaints filed against the
HSUS for misuse of donated funds in connection with rescue of pets
from the Hurricane Katrina and Hurricane Rita ravaged areas of the
southern states.

It's now official. Complaints and reports have indicated that
supplies (beds, blankets, toys, crates, x-pens, etc.) and food were
never allowed to be used to help the animals housed in the rescue
centers. Although thousands of pounds of top-quality food were
donated, many volunteers have complained that they were only allowed
to feed the rescued animals the cheapest, poorest quality foods they
received.

Allegations have been made that purebred rescue groups
were turned away by the HSUS and not allowed to pull their own
breeds from the rescue centers, unless they were willing to take "X"
number of "others" as well. Additional reports indicate that at
least 700 "bully" breed dogs mysteriously disappeared from the
HSUS rescue centers, never to be seen again. It has also been
widely reported that some pets were sent to far-away locations,
quickly adopted out, and that no real efforts were made to reunite these
lost pets with their original owners.

If you personally volunteered in the post-hurricane rescue effort (or
if you know someone who did) and may have firsthand knowledge of the
pet rescue situation in the aftermath of the hurricanes, please
contact Attorney General Foti and provide him with all pertinent
information to assist him in his effort to ensure that funds and/or
supplies donated by the compassionate pet owners of the U.S. were and
**will be** used for the purposes for which they were donated. Press
release and contact information follow:

PERMISSION TO CROSS POST

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<http://www.ag.state.la.us/ViewPressRel.aspx?RelID=451>
http://www.ag.state.la.us/ViewPressRel.aspx?RelID=451

Attorney General Charles Foti Opens Inquiry into
Humane Society of the United States

March 27, 2006: (Baton Rouge, LA)-Attorney General Charles C. Foti,
Jr., announced today that his office has opened an inquiry into
allegations involving funds raised for pet /owner reunions by the
Humane Society of the United States (HSUS). The Attorney General's
Office is asking the HSUS for an accounting of all funds HSUS raised
for the purpose of pet rescue and reunion with pet owners in the
aftermath of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita.

The Attorney General's office has received numerous complaints from
pet owners about problems many are having finding their pets
following Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. Through its association with
other animal welfare organizations nationwide, HSUS has documented
and placed animals in shelters around the country, often resulting in
the displaced pets' adoption. In some cases, pet owners claim that
those who are currently caring for the displaced pets are refusing to
reunite the pet with the proper owners.

"Once again we will be on the lookout to make sure that those who
seek to raise money for Hurricane victims in our state, do exactly
what they claim to do when soliciting funds," stated General Foti,
"While I commend the work of the many wonderful charitable
organizations that have come forward to help us in our time of need,
I also want people to know that they cannot take advantage of our
situation in any way," added General Foti.

The Attorney General is asking anyone with information about
questionable fundraising activities by animal groups or any other
groups to please contact the Attorney General's Consumer Protection
Section at 1-800-351-4889 or visit our website at
<outbind://6/www.ag.state.la.us> http://www.ag.state.la.us.

[pitbullmamaliz]

Who CAN you trust these days?

[Miakoda]

Who CAN you trust these days?

Not the HSUS that's for damn sure. I took 2 weeks off of work after the hurricane (despite the fact that I was out of work for a week already due to power outages & such) to voluntee at the Lamar-Dixon Expo center. I worked in triage many of those days but I also spent as much time walking dogs, cleaning pens, & just basically visiting with the dogs as I could. And believe me when I say that the accusations have a firm foundation. I never saw a brand of dog food better than Dog Chow despite hearing reports that good quality food was supposed to be there especially for the extremely emaciated dogs. I never saw a dog with a towel of blanket in their cage (however, it was 100 degrees most days), fans were in short supply, but the most sickening & heartbreaking fact of all was that pit bulls WERE "mysteriously" disappearing from the center (especially under one barn managers "care").

I happened to work one day & was keeping an eye on a group of older teens who were walking up & down 2 different rows containing nothing but pit bulls & pit bull mixes. I had a bad feeling about these people & sure enough, they found themsevles a gorgeous red brindle male (unneutered of course but they had to ask the walker of that dog if he was neutered or not). After standing around the dog's cage for what semed like eternity & never saying anything to the dog (nor did the dog act like he knew them however, he was heartbroken they didn't give him some lovin), then went to the lost pet table & made a claim that that particular dog was their missing dog. I followed them to the table to overhear the discussion to see what happened. Well, they were only asked where they were from, were they sure that was their dog, & what was his name. They were never asked for identification, pictures, etc. & sure enough 10 min. later they left with the dog being drug behind them. The poor dog had his tail between his legs as he was yanked away....literally. The story doesn't end there. The following day, I was working back in the same barn & had gone to get a bottle of water when I saw what I knew was a loving family all excited to pick up their dog Newton & you guessed it, Newton was a red brindle male, unneutered, & was the exact dog that a smurfing morom allowed to be taken almost with no questions asked. They had seen Newton's picture online & had traveled from Shreveport to pick him up. You couldn't imagine their 7 yr old son's tears as he was told that someone else claimed their dog. This family had pictures with them that positively identified the "missing" dog as theirs & were able to give a detailed description that matched Newton's physical appearance.

But that instance wasn't the only one. We were supposed to just ignore the fact that we would leave at 11:00pm only to arrive at 7:00am & see that a couple of kennels that held either stunning pit bulls or pit bulls covered in scars were gone. No one could ever explain where they went during the night.

I lost a lot of respect for certain rescue groups, certain people, & God knows I didn't like the HSUS much before then, but I despise the entire money hungry organization with a passion.

[cheekymunkee]

I hope their investigation does not stop just with the Katrina nightmare & I hope there are others being investigated as well.

[SisMorphine]

We had a client who went down there for 10+ weeks to help. She said that at night, even with some staff still on, people would sneak in and grab pits and sneak out. They wouldn't even go far, just around the corner, and fight the dogs. The police had other things to worry about so nothing was ever done. Sickening.

I can't remember where she volunteered, though . . .

[Marinepits]

My heart breaks for poor Newton and his family.

[pitbullmamaliz]

Yeah, Newton's story broke my heart too...