Protecting All Animals: a Fifty-Year History of the Humane Society of the United States / by Bernard Unti
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00i-viii Front Matter 1/11/06 3:41 PM Page i rotecting P All Animals: A Fifty-Year History of TheHumaneSociety of the United States By Bernard Unti Humane Society Press An affiliate of 00i-viii Front Matter 1/11/06 3:41 PM Page ii Bernard Unti received his doctorate in history from American University in 2002. Copyright © 2004 by The Humane Society of the United States. All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without permission in writing from the publisher, except by a reviewer who may quote brief passages in a review. First edition ISBN 0-9658942-8-2 Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Unti, Bernard Oreste. Protecting all animals: a fifty-year history of the Humane Society of the United States / by Bernard Unti. --1st ed. p. cm. Includes bibliographical references and index. ISBN 0-9748400-0-9 (hbk.) — ISBN 0-9658942-8-2 (pbk.) 1. Humane Society of the United States--History. I. Title. HV4763.H8524 U58 2004 179' .3'06073--dc22 2003021699 Printed in the United States of America Humane Society Press An affiliate of The Humane Society of the United States 2100 L Street, NW Washington, DC 20037 ii 00i-viii Front Matter 1/11/06 3:41 PM Page iii CONTENTS Foreword vii Paul G. Irwin CHAPTER 1 1 Every Field of Humane Work—EVERYWHERE CHAPTER 2 41 There’s Something Terribly Wrong: Farm Animals and Sustainable Agriculture CHAPTER 3 63 To Find Other and Better Ways: Animal Research Issues CHAPTER 4 85 The Best Care Possible: Companion Animals CHAPTER 5 115 The Great Chain of Life: Wildlife and Marine Mammals CHAPTER 6 145 The Broad Work of Humane Education CHAPTER 7 161 The HSUS in Action: Field Services, Investigations, Regional Work, Disaster Relief, and International Assistance Conclusion: Moved by the Spirit of Compassion 193 Index 217 iii 00i-viii Front Matter 1/11/06 3:41 PM Page v Acknowledgments During the course of the work on this history, it has often occurred to me that one day, in a better world, the people and the events described in these pages (some ten of whom have died since I began my research) will be more commonly known. The individuals I acknowl- edge here, and many others who work with or for The HSUS, are doing their part to hasten that day. Because of them, writing a history of The HSUS has been a satisfying and encourag- ing experience, and I thank them. Paul G. Irwin, president of The HSUS, evinced strong support for this project, recogniz- ing that an organization’s heritage is a precious asset, worthy of recording and sharing with the broader public. Dr. Andrew Rowan, chief of staff, first suggested the idea of a full-length work, and we quickly concurred that there were important questions and issues to explore. Our subsequent conversations on the historical contributions of The HSUS, and more broad- ly on what history has to say to the present, have been rewarding. Deborah Salem, director and editor in chief of Humane Society Press, kept this work on track, making timely profes- sional interventions, providing crucial observations, sharing her own historical perceptions, and generally keeping faith with its frequently beleaguered author. Patrick Parkes, retired executive vice president and himself a keen and able historian of The HSUS’s work, gener- ously shared his recollections, answered dozens of questions, and took me beyond the trail of documents in search of deeper insights about the organization’s activities. Paula Jaworski of The HSUS’s publications section put her full staff to work in the identification and selec- tion of photographs that bring to life the richness and complexity of the organization’s histo- ry in a way that no text alone could ever do. The assistance and cooperation of numerous staff members, past and present, and the children of Fred Myers, have further enriched this work. I am grateful to those who assisted me with practical matters, answered questions, and shared their ideas and memories concerning The HSUS. They include Eve Anderson, Michael Appleby, Martha Armstrong, Marianne Myers Atkinson, Jonathan Balcombe, Arnold Baer, Carol Baker, Kathy Bauch, Kay Benedict, Laura Bevan, Michael Blankenship, Jennifer Boyer, Tim Carman, Ann Church, Vince Connelly, Frantz Dantzler, Bill DeRosa, Barbara DeMambro, Julie Falconer, Richard Farinato, Larry Field, Tammi Myers Field, Debra Firmani, Laura Folden, Patricia Forkan, Janet Frake, Pat Gatons, Sharon Geiger, John Grandy, Emmett Graves, Susan Hagood, Geoff Handy, Ben Hayes, Charles F. Herrmann, III, Dale Hylton, Kim Intino, Ulric Johnson, Lesley King, John Kullberg, Randy Lockwood, Dina McDaniel, Elizabeth McNulty, Ed Myers, Donna Mochi, Belton Mouras, Tanya Mulford, Wayne Pacelle, Dave Pauli, Donna Pease, Kate Pullen, Linda Reynolds-Hinds, Naomi Rose, Melissa Seide Rubin, Eric Sakach, Kathy Savesky, Stephanie Shain, Chad Sisneros, Brian Sodergren, Janet Snyder, John Snyder, Martin Stephens, Rick Swain, Neil Trent, Ellen Truong, Tom Waite, Susan Washington, and Dorothy Weller. v 00i-viii Front Matter 1/11/06 3:41 PM Page vi 1955 1957 1971 1978 1992 1999 00i-viii Front Matter 1/11/06 3:41 PM Page vii FOREWORD he HSUS formed fifty years ago with a straightforward but challenging agenda: to eliminate and prevent the abuse and suffering of animals through advoca- cy, education, legislation, research, investigation, field service, and legal initia- tive. Since 1954 we have continued to operate on the basis of three premises our founder Fred Myers articulated, “that kindness can be effectively taught or encouraged, that cruelty can be substantially prevented, [and] that suffering can be significant- lyI decreased.” For half a century, we have advanced these convictions in every arena where animals suffer. At the same time, we have stood firm behind the principle that the promotion of concern for nonhuman animals carries with it numerous social benefits for humankind and for our entire planet.1 We of The HSUS have not spent a lot of time during these past fifty years crowing about our accomplishments. But we are proud of them, and we thought our golden anniversary year was the right occasion for a comprehensive account of the work that has made The HSUS the most successful organization of its kind. There are literally hundreds of animal cruelty issues at loose in the world, and there are few against which The HSUS has failed to mount cam- paigns of opposition and reform. In the years since its founding, The HSUS has grown into the world’s largest animal protec- tion organization, currently drawing on the support of over eight million supporters and con- stituents. The HSUS has expanded to include ten regional offices, four affiliates, an internation- al arm, and almost 300 staff members—including veterinarians, wildlife biologists, lawyers, animal behaviorists, and other professionals. We do not just piously deplore cruelty, we also fight hard against it from the conviction that the vision, energy, and effort of the humane movement are badly needed in this world. At the same time, we have striven to honor stan- dards of honesty, integrity, rationality, and concern for human dignity in our work. The promo- tion of compassionate regard for nonhuman animals demands no less. It is especially satisfying to me that this study does justice to the many good and decent individuals who have made The HSUS’s history such a proud one. This book is testament to the fact that many hands have been set to the oars during fifty years of determined effort, and that HSUS staff members have crisscrossed this globe—from Alaska to Zimbabwe—to extend the principles and practices of humane treatment of animals. I am moved to recall, too, that through all of these years, and in so many places, and on so many occasions, HSUS supporters have been there, because their energy, their moral influ- ence, and their financial contributions have made these accomplishments possible. The HSUS is not a solo act. Organized animal protection has not in the past been able to rely on the support of great foundations or corporate largesse, and, to a very great degree, the work we have accomplished has depended on the might of individuals. The active involvement and support of our constituents count, and we are the better for it. To the several thousand people who have worked as employees of The HSUS during these fifty years and to the millions of supporters who have made that work possible, we say, “Thank you”—not simply for the privilege of serving you, but also for the extraordinary opportunity you have extended to us—the chance to make this world a better one for all of its inhabitants. Paul G. Irwin President and CEO The Humane Society of the United States vii CHAPTER 1 Every Field of Humane Work—EVERYWHERE n simple terms the founding of The Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) in 1954 was the incorporation of a new group by a breakaway fac- tion dissatisfied with the activity, direction, and political weakness of the American Humane Association (AHA), the then-dominant organization in the field of animal protection. Over the years, however, the decision to cre- ateI a new kind of animal protection organization, established in the nation’s capital, deter- mined to recruit a national membership base, and focused on confronting national cruelties beyond the scope of local societies and state federations, proved to be far more significant. Within several decades of its modest beginnings, The HSUS would eclipse the organization from which it sprang, and many others as well.