Despite the freedom and the opportunity that exists in the United States, every society has its dark corners. It’s hard to imagine, much less see, but animal cruelty is very much a reality in our nation and around the world. Unethical breeders run puppy mills. Some companies test products on animals. Ringleaders stage animal fights for sport. These are just a few of the terrible transgressions against animals on the list.
Fortunately for everyone, the Humane Society of the United States (“the Humane Society” or “the HSUS”) is fighting the big fights to end suffering for all animals. Through its rescue, response and sanctuary work, as well as the other hands-on animal care services it provides, the HSUS saves thousands of animals every year.
Porte® supports charities like the Humane Society that are doing great work in our communities and partners with them through our #DoorToChange charitable giving program. This year marks the 70th anniversary of the HSUS. With this post, we’re celebrating the difference the organization has made and continues to make, as well as how you can support its efforts.
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Fighting the Big Fights
The Humane Society has worked toward ending suffering for all animals and rescuing them from abuse and neglect across the country since 1954. A four-star charity on Charity Navigator, the HSUS takes a two-pronged approach in achieving its mission: 1) rescue and direct care work that responds to today’s cruelties; and 2) education, legislative, and policy work that prevents tomorrow’s. By ending the cruelest practices toward all animals, caring for animals in crisis, and building a stronger animal protection movement, the HSUS fights all forms of animal cruelty to achieve the vision behind their name: a humane society.
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Ending the Cruelest Practices
The Humane Society focuses on ending the worst forms of institutionalized animal suffering – extreme confinement of farm animals, puppy mills, the fur industry, trophy hunting, animal testing of cosmetics, and the dog meat trade. The charity has made tremendous progress by working effectively with governments, stakeholders, consumers, and international entities, as well as through public engagement. The HSUS also runs campaigns to educate people about the realities of these abusive acts. By raising awareness and pushing for policy changes, the HSUS is making the world a better place for animals.
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Caring for Animals in Crisis
The Humane Society rescues and provides hands-on care to thousands of animals in need every year through its work in disaster and cruelty cases, programs that help keep people and pets together, access-to-care programs in remote and rural communities, and sanctuaries for exploited, abused, and abandoned animals.
Just a handful of ways the HSUS deployed to animal crises in 2023:
- rescuing 114 dogs from suspected neglect at a breeding operation in North Carolina, then preparing those pups for adoption (including 26 puppies born after the rescue)
- supporting local law enforcement agencies by rescuing 176 neglected cats in Mississippi and giving them much-needed care before placing them with shelter partners
- transporting dozens of shelter animals out of the path of Hurricane Idalia and distributing free pet food and farm animal feed, which helped 872 families and 9,083 animals in Florida
- assisting the local sheriff’s office and Blazes Tribute Equine Rescue in Oklahoma with a case involving the rescue of 72 animals, including horses, cows, and goats
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sending urgent and critical supplies such as pet food and crates to the Maui Humane Society and assisting locally by processing reports of lost and found pets after the devastating fires on the island
The Humane Society also operates a 1,400-acre animal sanctuary in Murchison, Texas, called Black Beauty Ranch. More than 600 diverse animals enjoy safe, permanent homes at the sanctuary after being rescued from cruelty cases, roadside zoos, the exotic pet trade, and more. For example, the sanctuary recently took in 23 animals – including emus, resus macaques, coatimundis, llamas and lemurs – after a collaboration between the HSUS and partner organizations to rescue and transport 700 wild animals from a derelict zoo in Puerto Rico. Although they arrived at the sanctuary malnourished and stressed, the rescued animals now receive exceptional care and are thriving in spacious, natural habitats.
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Building a Stronger Animal Protection Movement
Partnering with people, organizations, and governments, the Humane Society is growing a stronger protection movement for animals. Its programs, events, and resources include:
- providing free training to thousands of law enforcement officers and prosecutors each year about investigating and prosecuting animal cruelty cases at its Law Enforcement Training Center
- teaching humane wildlife conflict resolution approaches through its Wild Neighbors Program
- hosting the largest animal welfare conference in the world, the annual Animal Care Expo
- providing a comprehensive online resource for animal welfare professionals at HumanePro.org
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How You Can Help
When you open a Porte account,1 you can opt in to our #DoorToChange program so your everyday purchases with your Porte Debit Card contribute to a charity of your choice. All you have to do is tap “Charity” on the dashboard in the Porte app, then select an organization, and we donate to that charity at no additional cost to you.2
If you are interested in getting directly involved with the charity, visit the Humane Society website for more information. There are different ways to donate, volunteer, and advocate. You can also sign up for alerts about quick, simple ways you can help animals.
We hope you will also engage with Porte on social media to support the Humane Society and other charities. Follow @JoinPorte on Facebook, Instagram, and X, and be sure to like and share our content!
This blog is not intended to provide any tax, legal, financial planning, insurance, accounting, investment, or any other kind of professional advice or services. To make sure that any information or suggestions in this blog fit your particular circumstances, you should consult with an appropriate tax or legal professional before taking action based on any suggestions or information that we provide.