# Is the ASPCA a good place to donate to?



## ufo_chris (Apr 30, 2010)

I keep seeing their ad on TV and it's so sad it makes me want to donate a little money to them. 
Is it a good place that uses most of the money for the cause?
Or what is a good one? 
Or is it better to donate to a local no kill shelter?
Thanks, Chris


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## Pops2 (Jan 27, 2003)

usually best to donate locally. for one you can just go volunteer first to make sure their policies line up with your beliefs.


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## BarbadosSheep (Jun 27, 2011)

Pops2 said:


> usually best to donate locally. for one you can just go volunteer first to make sure their policies line up with your beliefs.


I agree 100%. ASPCA spends a ton of money in advertising to create those heart-wrenching adverts. I think your money could go a lot farther at a local no-kill shelter.


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## sawman65 (Sep 8, 2011)

always go local those big ad's cost a ton of money that could be used to help animals. also your local shelter has no politics to deal with. your big 501's pay lobbyists and lawyers to represent them in Washington. some like PETA and the HSUS don&#8217;t even help or operate any shelters.


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## Linsay2231 (May 1, 2011)

I think the most fun way to give back is to volunteer in the shelter and give the animals some love  I have never donated to any of the TV advertisements...I agree with the others that they spend a TON of money on those ads and you can be sure that all of the money you donate will not be given to the animals...


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## fishhead (Jul 19, 2006)

I donated to ASPCA right after Katrina and since then have gotten monthly pleas for more.

A good way to donate would be to pay for spaying or neutering at the local shelter or maybe make an anonymous donation for those services at the local vet.

When I donated Penni from Springer Rescue in Ohio it cost $300. The reciepts for her medical bills that came with her paperwork exceeded the $300.


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## NickieL (Jun 15, 2007)

Find a local shelter, take a look around, donate to one that you can actually see teh results of.


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## wolffeathers (Dec 20, 2010)

Donate locally. You can usually donate money, blankets, food, etc. Just call them and ask what you can do to help.


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## Fowler (Jul 8, 2008)

I donate locally, I bring in dogfood, toys, kitty litter etc.


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## DamnearaFarm (Sep 27, 2007)

No. 
If you want to make sure the money is put to best use, donate locally to a reputable rescue.


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## Pink_Carnation (Apr 21, 2006)

Here is a link for a report card on them http://www.charitynavigator.org/index.cfm?bay=search.summary&orgid=3286


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## mekasmom (Jan 19, 2010)

I would never donate to the ASPCA or to HSUS. Local shelter is a good idea. Vet is a better idea. There are a lot of "good Samaritans" who bring animals into a vet's office just to help them, but there is no money to pay for services from an owner. Donating to a vet's office just to pay for one of those strays brought in will help keep it alive because clinics cannot afford to treat every animal that is brought in for free, so some end up being put down.


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## GrannyCarol (Mar 23, 2005)

Of the "big" organizations, ASPCA is ok, its not an AR group that I know of. However, I agree your money will be better spent at a local shelter you can check out and know they agree with your ideas of what needs to be done. Your money will be spent more in line with your philosophy and more of it will go directly to the animals that need help. It's more personal, the shelter is more accountable to you.


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## BarbadosSheep (Jun 27, 2011)

The CEO of the ASPCA makes nearly $500,000 a year in salary (according to the charity watchdog sites). That just kind of seems excessive to me. A local shelter could operate for a long time with that kind of money.


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## akane (Jul 19, 2011)

Local is the best way to go. The big groups waste a lot of their money and use the rest on campaigns that just cause trouble for livestock owners, responsible breeders, and many good pet owners. None of that money trickles down to your local shelter who are the ones helping to rehome the pets and offer aid to local people who need it to care for their animals.


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## bluemoonluck (Oct 28, 2008)

I donate $$ to my breed's rescue (MBTCA Rescue). Our rescue coordinator is a volunteer and puts in a LOT of hours doing what she does. The $ I send them helps pay for vet visits, food, etc for the Mini Bulls in need - the adoption fee they charge doesn't come anywhere close to the costs invovled.

If you are a devotee of a specific breed, you could look into that breed's Parent Club Rescue branch, and ask about donating there.

If you're a mutt person, then the local animal shelters are going to be where your $$ will go the farthest. Look out for some of the no-kill shelters run by people out of their homes, though....some of those are just animal horders hiding under the guise of a rescue organization. I'd stick with ones that have been around for a long time and have a good reputation in the community.

Or you could contact your local low cost spay/neuter clinic and ask about donating to them.


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## ufo_chris (Apr 30, 2010)

Thanks Guys. There is a local no kill one that I hear a lot of good things about so I will do that. I don't have a lot of spare $ but I figure if I can find one that will really put it to good use I can cut back elsewhere. 
I feel blessed for what we do have.
DH donates to People causes sometimes so I will do this.
Thanks so much,
Chris


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## oregon woodsmok (Dec 19, 2010)

Donate locally, and don't overlook the kill shelters. The people running those shelters don't want to kill the animals and the more funds they have the more extra days they can mete out. Those animals in the kill shelters are the ones who are desperate.

If you have the skills, a good way to donate is to volunteer to bath and clip. Making a dog beautiful and clean can easily make the difference in finding a home. Or volunteer to train tricks. A dog who has some obedience, can sit up, shake hands, play dead, has a much much better chance of a new home. Competition for homes is tough. Shaking hands on command can make the difference between taking a dog or leaving the shelter with no pet. A dog who knows to not jump on people has a better chance of a home.

I prefer to donate goods instead of cash. But ask what they need. Many shelters will only feed specific dog foods because they have found it doesn't cause digestive upset. So they can't use other brands. Buy them bags of what they can use. 

The local cat spay clinic wants paper towels. Ask them what would help.

If you've got lots of money to donate ask about a "carport" and some sturdy portable kennels. Space is at a premium and outdoor dogs can be kept outside if there is shelter. That makes more room so more dogs can stay an extra day or two.


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## akane (Jul 19, 2011)

I'd actually support kill shelters over no-kill. It sounds like a great idea but in practice the no-kill shelters just get themselves in trouble sitting on animals who can't find a home and then they either sacrifice their screening process and quality of homes they are looking for in order to move animals or turn everyone away. Some will even specifically tell you to take a likely unadoptable animal to the vet to pts so the act is not on their hands. Then people do even worse things like abandoning the animal when they move or turning it out on the street because they can't deal with putting it down themselves. A shelter that will put animals down can make the hard choices that are sometimes needed in order to get as many animals in to good homes as possible instead of their hands getting tied as soon as they reach space and money constraints. One of the no-kill shelters here hasn't taken in or homed an animal in 2 years because they ended up with all geriatric and special needs animals that few will adopt while having the strictest adoption policies of any shelter within 50miles. It is not providing much help while using up resources.


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## sawman65 (Sep 8, 2011)

akane said:


> I'd actually support kill shelters over no-kill. It sounds like a great idea but in practice the no-kill shelters just get themselves in trouble sitting on animals who can't find a home and then they either sacrifice their screening process and quality of homes they are looking for in order to move animals or turn everyone away. Some will even specifically tell you to take a likely unadoptable animal to the vet to pts so the act is not on their hands. Then people do even worse things like abandoning the animal when they move or turning it out on the street because they can't deal with putting it down themselves. A shelter that will put animals down can make the hard choices that are sometimes needed in order to get as many animals in to good homes as possible instead of their hands getting tied as soon as they reach space and money constraints. One of the no-kill shelters here hasn't taken in or homed an animal in 2 years because they ended up with all geriatric and special needs animals that few will adopt while having the strictest adoption policies of any shelter within 50miles. It is not providing much help while using up resources.


totally agree!!! it is a hart wrenching thing to have to do but there does come a time to cull. most times it is better for the pet and frees up space for adoptable pets


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