recommendations please for the best animal charities

[Duppers]

Last edited Fri Dec 21, 2012, 03:00 AM - Edit history (1)

I donate small amounts to many charities throughout the year and now I am inundated with requests from all sorts of animal charities.

Please help me decide where my money will be best spent.

Thanks!



On edit: What about PETA?

[sinkingfeeling]

1. I give to several...

1. Local animal shelter
2. Best Friends
3. D.E.L.T.A (animals abandoned in forests)
4. HSUS
5. SPCA

[Duppers]

5. Thanks, sinkingfeeling!

Best Friends & HSUS are always on my list!

[avebury]

2. Rocky Ridge Refuge in Arkansas

http://rockyridgerefuge.com/

I follow RRR on Face Book. Janice Wolf works so hard to care for all of the animals in the refuge and would probably appreciate a donation. RRR takes in a wide assortment of rescued animals. Check them out on their web page and Face Book Page.

[Duppers]

6. Thanks, avebury!

They look like a great org! I'm impressed by the touching pics they post.

Being a fan of wildlife and originally from Tenn., I donate to Appalachian Bear Rescue and The Elephant Sanctuary in Hohenwald Tenn.

I usually send money to at least 20 org's a year. Animals are my passion.

[LeftyMom]

3. I'm a big proponent of going local, whenever possible.

Seems to me that $100 to a big national organization is a barely-noticed drop in the bucket, but $100 worth of pet food dropped off at the local pet food pantry (or a couple of pet food store gift cards given to the local food bank to give to families in need who have pets, if you don't have an organized pet food pantry in your area) is a huge deal. That's where I've shifted my donations of late.

That said, as big organizations go I toss some money Sea Shepherd's way whenever I can, because in addition to the whale and seal defense that gets all the attention they do a lot related to shark finning*, and you can't have healthy oceans without apex predators. I love that they pay attention to that even if it's not a headline grabbing sexy issue.

*If anybody's not familiar with the term, finning is when ships catch sharks on long lines (which has a huge bycatch issue as well,) cut off their fins while they're still alive and dump the dying shark back in the ocean. They can't swim and they sink to the bottom and die. It's done because dried shark fins are used to make soup and are outrageously profitable.

[Duppers]

7. Thanks, LeftyMom! I have taken 50lbs of dog food to the local shelter

And thanks for reminding me of the Sea Shepherd!! A very worthy cause!! It's sad that Greenpeace is too afraid to cooperate with Paul and the SS org.

[Daemonaquila]

4. Wildlife rehabilitation...

Rehabilitation/wildlife work tends to get much less support than domestic animal shelters. I suggest Last Chance Forever, the Bird of Prey Conservancy (I have volunteered with them since around 1993) in Texas, which does fabulous work on a shoestring budget, releasing 60-80% of the injured birds back to the wild. Right now they have multiple eagles (average 14 oz of food/day, requiring months to 4 YEARS of treatment, physical therapy, etc. before release) on track to go home, and several who are permanent residents due to various injuries. As an example, one of those was shot through the head, destroying an eye and doing a lot of skull/beak damage, but she survived and still fosters youngsters brought to the center. LCF also cares for all other raptor species, including many endangered birds.

I also would suggest the Minnesota Raptor Center, which does more good research into new treatments for these animals than any other institution - they are led by a veterinary professor at the U. Their funding is a little less critical because they are affiliated with a major university, but they always can use the help.

Also, the National Eagle Center in MN.

[Duppers]

8. Thanks, Daemonaquila

Worthy causes, I'm sure.

[glinda]

10. and don't forget about the small rehab orgs in MN like:

http://www.frontiernet.net/~debbernie/

They struggle financially and are great people doing wonderful devoted and loving work.

[Duppers]

9. Thanks, everyone!

[obamanut2012]

11. Find a local rescue group and/or non-kill shelter

I believe we do the most good by helping local organizations.

Don't forget rescues for kitties, birds, and bunnies!

[Doremus]

12. Animals Asia

They work to get bears out of unspeakably cruel bile farms in Asia, as well as other important projects.

They are very well respected.

Here's a link:
http://www.animalsasia.org/index.php?UID=2J0NIOGTVCWA

Thanks for asking!

[freshwest]

13. All my donation money goes to this group. (Pic heavy - Dial-up Warning):

About Pasado’s Safe Haven

Pasado’s Safe Haven is one of the premier animal rescue organizations in the United States, dedicated to 24-hour rescue and rehabilitation of dogs, cats and farm animals. Located on 85 pastoral and wooded acres one hour northeast of Seattle, Washington, the sanctuary is home to hundreds of dogs, cats, cows, chickens, ducks, goats, turkeys, pigs, and donkeys. Most arrived from abuse or neglect and now live out their lives in peace.

Pasado’s Safe Haven is non-profit charitable organization, incorporated in the State Of Washington, we are a 501 (c) 3 charity, EIN #91-1843707.

Our Mission:

To fill the voids left unanswered by area shelters by serving those animals who fall through the cracks.

Rescue & Investigation:

Pasado’s Safe Haven has waged numerous prosecutions against animal abusers, winning major convictions. Pasado’s Safe Haven offers rewards, through the media, to seek out and prosecute those who have committed heinous acts of animal cruelty.

Rescuing animals is only part of the answer – we want to insure that those who hurt animal will never do it again.



Pasado’s Safe Haven staff and volunteers with Oso after she flew over 9,000 miles from a war zone in Afghanistan.



Our Mission:

To fill the voids left unanswered by area shelters by serving those animals who fall through the cracks.

Rescue & Investigation:

Pasado’s Safe Haven has waged numerous prosecutions against animal abusers, winning major convictions. Pasado’s Safe Haven offers rewards, through the media, to seek out and prosecute those who have committed heinous acts of animal cruelty.

Rescuing animals is only part of the answer – we want to insure that those who hurt animal will never do it again.

Ending Pet Overpopulation:

Pasado’s Safe Haven is dedicated to new and vigorous methods to reduce pet overpopulation. Pasado’s Safe Haven operates The Spay Station, the first mobile spay/neuter clinic in Washington State. This state-of-the-art “clinic on wheels” offers free spay/neuter services to the pets of low-income, to whom most unwanted litters of dogs and cats are born.

http://www.pasadosafehaven.org/

They also rescue wild animals, as I have called and they traveled to pick up a wild injured bird for me many miles from their location. They gave me updates until the bird was healthy enough to be released into the wild again.

Just my two cents here.

[Flaxbee]

14. Thanks for posting this question, Duppers.

Hopefully others will add to it!

[LeftyMom]

15. Oh, I almost forgot Performing Animal Welfare Society (PAWS)

http://www.pawsweb.org/

They're localish to me and I can verify they do good work.