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Letter: Support local humane societies — they're not affiliated with the scandal-ridden national group

(Leah Hogsten | The Salt Lake Tribune) l-r Marley Colt and boyfriend Jon McFarland are all smiles after adopting Baxter, a 1-year-old heeler mix, during the Humane Society's weeklong adoption event, Clear the Shelters, Saturday, August 19, 2017, a nationwide drive to adopt out cats and dogs.

In the wake of national news that the Humane Society of the United States is going through a major sexual harassment scandal involving top executives, people should know that local humane societies are not affiliated with this national group, despite the similar names.

It’s easy to confuse local shelters with the national group. For years, the Humane Society of the United States has raised money off the good names of local pet shelters while giving a paltry 1 percent of their $126 million budget to help local pet shelters. Instead, the money has gone to finance its executives’ exorbitant salaries and pensions, hire a fleet of lawyers and lobbyists, and stash away over $50 million in offshore accounts. And now, news reports reveal that money was used to pay off female staffers who were mistreated.

Please support your local shelters. It’s the best way to help needy animals in the community.

Will Coggin, Center for Consumer Freedom, Washington, D.C.