#2. Promoting open disclosure from the Humane Society of Indianapolis

Public records show a long-standing, disturbing pattern of self-promotion and misrepresentation on the part of the Humane Society of Indianapolis. As a result, the public has been lulled into complacent acceptance of a profoundly disturbing reality in the animal welfare system. Donor dollars continue to flow from well-meaning animal lovers to support practices that most donors would deplore if they knew about them.

For example, HSI:

• Destroyed 3,327 animals in 2006. That is 22% of the 14,848 dogs and cats destroyed in our city.
• In 2006, assisted Animal Care and Control by transferring only 20 animals to their facility for additional adoption exposure.
• Imported puppies for adoption from Missouri during the spring of 2007 while dogs in Indianapolis are in need of adoption.
• Has not been vocal in support of low-cost, high-volume spay/neuter services http://216.110.171.197/02/3/humanesocindiana302.html The past Central Indiana Veterinary Medical Association president, and HSI Board member, discussed this in a column for the CIVMA November 2004 newsletter, “Time to F.A.C.E. the Music,” about the low-cost FACE spay/neuter clinic.
• Promotes itself to donors as an "open admission" shelter. "We accept every homeless, lost and abused pet that is brought to us." http://www.indyhumane.org/abouthsi/faqs.htm . However, the truth is that HSI accepts these animals only if the relinquisher pays a "continuing care" (euthanasia?) fee. If the relinquisher cannot pay the fee, the animal is not accepted. The person is directed to the south side of town to Animal Care and Control. As a result, the animal may be released on the street.
• Refuses to allow the grieving public access to its stray kennels when searching for a lost pet. “We don't allow patrons to walk through the kennels anymore for several reasons: it's incredibly time-intensive to take every person missing an animal through all the back kennels, which takes staff away from doing adoptions, accepting animals....” http://www.movetoact.org/lostpet.html
• Destroyed a lost pet with identification on his collar because the owner was not allowed to see and identify his dog. The distressed owner came to the shelter with a picture and was told his dog was not there. http://www.movetoact.com/Gastineau.htm
• Denies many breed rescue groups access to the shelter (purebred animals are more likely to be adopted)
• Treated an outbreak of panleukopenia in the shelter by destroying over 100 asymptomatic cats, explaining the act to the press with the sanitized euphemism "depopulated." There is no shelter medicine protocol suggesting this treatment approach. http://www.movetoact.com/panleukopenia_fears.html
• Secured an appointment for its Executive Director to the Companion Animal Advisory Council of the Humane Society of the United States. Communication between Move to ACT and the HSUS office could not identify any criteria for such appointments beyond familiarity between the two organizations.
• Promotes its receipt of the Charity of Ethics Award from the Better Business Bureau http://www.indyhumane.org/shelternews/archive.htm?id=247&action=view , although the BBB explained in a letter to Move to ACT that the award is made to the organization that submits the best-written application. No investigation is made of the charity and no additional standards are applied. BBB letter.
  

The last point is especially disturbing to those who care where their donations are going. HSI’s record of financial management raises a lot of questions.

• HSI used the Mary Powell Crume Public Charitable Trust, established 80 years ago, to pay for debt against the express wishes of the donor and language of the trust itself. http://www.movetoact.com/media/SelflessEfforts.pdf
• HSI has failed for 25 years to account for the assets of the Crume Charitable Trust for animals http://www.movetoact.com/reversal.htm
• HSI used the assets of charitable trusts as collateral for loans. “We need the money,” said Humane Society attorney Alan J. Irvin. “We’re coming up on a big cash crunch.” and within a year the Executive Director’s salary increased to $110,000.
  http://www.charitynavigator.org/index.cfm/bay/search.summary/orgid/6136.htm.
• Rewards its current Executive Director with a salary greater than that of many leaders in the animal welfare field. http://www.animalpeoplenews.org/whogets1200.html
• In 1999, HSI was among the richest animal-related charities in the nation. http://www.movetoact.com/reversal.htm
• HSI board chair and attorney petitioned probate court to pay HSI legal fees for acquiring access to the Crume Trust principal http://www.movetoact.com/media/dec17.pdf
• HSI committed $30,000 in donor funds for the Kittelman search agency to locate candidates for the position of Executive Director following the misuse-of-funds scandal in 2002. Candidates’ resumes were not disclosed to the search committee, but a new executive director was selected.
• Excused the previous Executive Director with a greater than $70G severance package of donor dollars.

Be an informed donor. Additional background information about the Humane Society of Indianapolis is available HERE