A Sad Day For Pet Charities

The PPP today is making Americans aware that trusts they set up for charitable foundations especially for specific causes such as animal charities may not be honored.

The trustees of the Harry and Leona Helmsley Charitable Foundation had allocated $136 million of grants, with just $1 million (or less than 1 percent) going to dog-related organizations. It was Leona Helmsley's specific wish that the majority of the grants go to the care of dogs in the distribution of its proceeds. 14 million dollars alone was left for the care of her beloved Maltese, Trouble.

According to Wayne Pacelle from The Humane Society of the United States, "Thwarting the intentions of those who leave their estates to benefit animal protection has a sad and deplorable history, including in the cases of Helen V. Brach, Geraldine R. Dodge, and Doris Duke, who like Mrs. Helmsley bequeathed their great wealth for the benefit of animals. The foundations these women left behind may be operating in their names, but their wishes are not being honored. There is a larger principle at stake in this situation, one of protecting the decisions of people who leave their money for the care of animals, a wholly legitimate philanthropic purpose."


So much could have been done for animal causes with these grants as Mr.Pacelle states, "Canine shelter medicine programs staffed by well-trained veterinarians and technicians. Dog behaviorists to maximize animals’ chances at adoption. Improved housing for dogs waiting for forever homes. Public education programs to boost spaying and neutering, and to improve canine veterinary health. Enhanced data collection systems to track and advance the goals of reducing euthanasia of unhomed healthy animals. Humane instruction for children so that they will know how to relate to and care for dogs. Then of course, there are the problems of puppy mills and dogfighting.
And that’s just on the domestic front. Once we look abroad, there’s even more work to do. There are hundreds of millions of street dogs worldwide. In most nations, these and other dogs don’t die a humane death, but are killed by the worst of means. Moreover, SPCAs operating in nations outside of the developed world are poor and without infrastructure, training, and management. A little funding would go a long way in these places. There’s even a major intersection of dog welfare and public health, given that thousands of people die every year from rabies caused by dog bites."

We dogs, we pets give so much to humans. We give unconditional love, loyalty, companionship, joy, happiness and humor. We deserve the funds to help us live better lives on earth and have a voice given to us. It is wrong to disregard the wishes of anyone who leaves money for a legitimate cause. Every charity in America, regardless of mission, should be frightened by the prospect of an absence of resources.

Hopefully this latest decision can be appealed and turned over otherwise why bother to have a will created stating the purposes of how you want your funds distributed after your demise. That seems very unamerican.

Chow for now!