Much has been written lately about what should be expected of our local humane society. However, no one has mentioned what should be expected of all nonprofit humane societies.
Many elderly people, such as myself, will leave humane societies monies and/or property in our wills. However, most people automatically assume that all nonprofits are honest. In addition, they believe that most humane societies are affiliated with the Humane Society of the United States, the biggest, most respected humane society in the country. This is not so. Most humane societies are totally independent and, unfortunately, not all of them are honest.
I would check out any nonprofit before leaving them a dime. The law requires all 501 3C nonprofit groups to make their financial statements available to the public. It is your right to inspect this information. Do not be afraid to ask for it. If your request to do so meets with any kind of opposition, then your suspicion should be raised and further investigation is required.
When considering where to put your donations, look at those places with active volunteers. These people are there solely to serve the animals. If they witness abuse, they are more likely to speak out because they are not dependent upon a paycheck. Their only agenda is to serve the animals.
You want your donation dollars to count. Ask questions, do your research, and get answers. Remember: If one has nothing to hide, they hide nothing.
This article appears in Aug 5-12, 2010.