Americans of all stripes own pets —it’s a nonpartisan issue. But there’s a radical group preying on America’s love of cats, dogs, and other companions to fund its left-wing agenda —and you or your friends may be financing it.

You might think I’m talking about the notorious People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA). I’m not. I’m actually talking about the Humane Society of the United States. Think of this group as PETA in sheep’s clothing.

Despite its name, the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) is not affiliated with the many humane societies in towns and counties across America that care for abandoned dogs and cats. This humane society does not run a single pet shelter anywhere.

Instead, it has helped trick the American public into thinking it’s something that it isn’t, through its TV ads with tear-jerking images of pets. According to public polling, a majority of the public thinks the humane society gives most of its money to local pet shelters and that it is an umbrella group for pet shelters. Not true. Not even close.

So what is HSUS using donor dollars for? What’s it's real agenda? It’s every bit as radical as PETA’s.

For starters, HSUS wants to end the use of animals for food —that means say goodbye to cheese, milk, eggs, hamburgers, chicken wings, bacon, Thanksgiving turkey, and Christmas ham. HSUS’s food policy director used to work for PETA, where he designed a campaign comparing American farms to Nazi concentration camps.

“We don’t want any of these animals to be raised and killed [for food],” remarked one HSUS vice president. HSUS also succeeded in passing a law in California in 2008 that experts predict could soon bankrupt the state egg industry.

HSUS is run by vegan anti-hunting zealots. They recently pushed a ban on traditional (and widely used) lead ammunition in California that gun rights advocates say could effectively ban hunting in the state. When asked in front of a Congressional committee what kind of hunting it supports, a top HSUS executive could only muster that they aren’t against hunting for food in Alaska. So if you’re an Eskimo, HSUS will let you fish.

Worse, its president and CEO, Wayne Pacelle, has made a number of statements indicating that he doesn’t even care that much about pets or animals.

“I don’t love animals or think they are cute,” he has written. “I don’t have a hands-on fondness for animals…there’s no special bond between me and other animals,” he has said. And even more incredibly, when asked if he saw a future without pets, Pacelle stated, “If I had my personal view perhaps that might take hold. In fact, I don’t want to see another cat or dog born.”

Unsurprisingly given this radical agenda for society, HSUS’s lobbying arm is heavily tilted towards liberals and Democrats. It recently issued a “scorecard” giving a zero rating to 89 Republicans —and just one Democrat. Their lobbying arm has even waded into issues like gun control, trying to preserve a ban on concealed carry in National Parks using the illogical argument that allowing people to protect themselves would increase poaching.

Because HSUS doesn’t run any pet shelters, it floods the airwaves and mail with deceptive marketing to convince Americans that it is a moderate, mainstream pet shelter group. But its non-funding of shelters also means that the group has plenty of resources to clog up the court system with frivolous lawsuits, including many pursued alongside fringe environmentalist allies.

The most notable litigation, however, is not one in which HSUS is playing offense. It is one that sees them in federal court over allegations that it, two staff attorneys, and other animal rights activists violated the Racketeering Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) Act in attacking the Ringling Bros. circus.

Racketeering litigation, vegan activism — HSUS isn’t your local humane society.

Don’t buy the slick marketing for donations. The next time you see the weepy TV commercial, think of this much more accurate parody: “Lawyers in Cages.” Learn more at HumaneWatch.org, and spread the word about HSUS to your friends and family.

Feature Photo Credit: AP

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