Before you write a year-end check to your favorite animal charity, take a moment to find out if your money will be used as you intend it to be. Good-hearted people may not realize that the wildlife “protection” organizations they support quietly promote the slaughter of animals with guns and traps.
Many all-out hunting and trapping organizations hide behind benevolent-sounding names that include words such as “wildlife,” “nature” or “conservation.” Many environmental organizations refuse to take a stand against hunting and trapping for fear of alienating some of their members.
On the other side of the coin are the animal organizations totally opposed to hunting and trapping. Organizations that promote or refuse to take a stand against hunting and trapping include, but are not limited to: The National Wildlife Federation, The Nature Conservancy, The National Audubon Society, The Sierra Club, the World Wildlife Fund of America. In addition, there are federal and state fish and game commissions under various names, such as the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the Department of Conservation, the Department of Natural Resources and the infamous Federal Animal Damage Control, which is now trying to whitewash its murderous past by calling itself “Wildlife Services.” However, it remains the most relentless wildlife exterminator this country has ever known.
Organizations that stand firmly opposed to hunting and trapping include, but are not limited to: People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, The Fund for Animals, the World Society for the Protection of Animals, the Association of Veterinarians for Animal Rights, Friends of Animals, In Defense of Animals, The Humane Society of the United States, The Doris Day Animals League, Last Chance for Animals.
If your favorite animal organization is not listed here, give it a call. Ask if it supports hunting and trapping. If the person on the other end of the line hedges and can’t seem to find the answer, it’s a safe bet that the organization condones those activities. An anti-bloodsports organization will give you a quick, resounding, “No.”
Carla Bennett, senior writer
People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals