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Leona Helmsley may have been the "Queen of Mean" with a heart of stone, but she had a soft spot for all canines. Anyone who's ever been loved by a dog knows that dogs don't judge, they'll forgive you in an instance, and love you unconditionally. It's understandable why Leona left a Queen's ransom to various charities to help dogs. Shame on her trustees for going against her wishes. Too bad she didn't disperse her billions to these charities, before her death, like Warren Buffet is doing for his charities.
ASPCA Asks Court to Direct Helmsley Money Back to Dogs
The ASPCA, along with the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) and Maddie’s Fund, filed suit this week in New York Surrogate’s Court to intervene in the matter of the late Leona Helmsley’s $5 billion estate. The suit seeks to overturn an earlier ruling that allows the Helmsley Trustees—those responsible for issuing charitable grants from the estate—to disregard Mrs. Helmsley’s specific instructions that her wealth be used to help dogs.
“Just a fraction of the money involved in Mrs. Helmsley’s estate is a game-changer for animal welfare,” says Marsha Perelman, ASPCA Board Chair. “The fate of dogs in this country could very well rest on the decision of this lawsuit—it is that critical.”
No nonprofit groups involved with animal welfare were contacted or given an opportunity to register formal objections prior to the court’s controversial ruling last fall. As a result of that ruling, and in clear violation of Mrs. Helmsley’s wishes, less than 0.1% the trust’s initial round of grants was allocated to dog welfare-related charities.
“Dog fighting, puppy mills, pet homelessness and overpopulation are not $100,000 problems. But they’re not billion-dollar problems, either,” says Ed Sayres, President and CEO of the ASPCA. “Mrs. Helmsley understood the importance of animal welfare. She wanted her worldly estate to make our society better for dogs and animals—and if distributed as she intended, it definitely has the power to do so.”
This case has larger implications beyond the fate of the Helmsley estate. The three organizations believe that the court system has a responsibility to protect the wishes of any decedent, and also to protect the charity world from the whims of trustees who wish to ignore estate planning instructions. The misdirection of the Helmsley fortune should be of interest to everyone who hopes to provide for beloved pets after death, as well as to the multitude of organizations, from nonprofits to universities, that rely on bequests.
The groups involved in the lawsuit are not seeking grants for themselves, but do hope to work with the Helmsley Trustees in an advisory capacity to award grants to animal welfare groups of various size and scope around the country. “There has been a sea change in recent years in how we treat animals. It’s a shame that the Helmsley Trustees don’t understand or respect that change,” says Sayres.
ASPCA Asks Court to Direct Helmsley Money Back to Dogs
The ASPCA, along with the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) and Maddie’s Fund, filed suit this week in New York Surrogate’s Court to intervene in the matter of the late Leona Helmsley’s $5 billion estate. The suit seeks to overturn an earlier ruling that allows the Helmsley Trustees—those responsible for issuing charitable grants from the estate—to disregard Mrs. Helmsley’s specific instructions that her wealth be used to help dogs.
“Just a fraction of the money involved in Mrs. Helmsley’s estate is a game-changer for animal welfare,” says Marsha Perelman, ASPCA Board Chair. “The fate of dogs in this country could very well rest on the decision of this lawsuit—it is that critical.”
No nonprofit groups involved with animal welfare were contacted or given an opportunity to register formal objections prior to the court’s controversial ruling last fall. As a result of that ruling, and in clear violation of Mrs. Helmsley’s wishes, less than 0.1% the trust’s initial round of grants was allocated to dog welfare-related charities.
“Dog fighting, puppy mills, pet homelessness and overpopulation are not $100,000 problems. But they’re not billion-dollar problems, either,” says Ed Sayres, President and CEO of the ASPCA. “Mrs. Helmsley understood the importance of animal welfare. She wanted her worldly estate to make our society better for dogs and animals—and if distributed as she intended, it definitely has the power to do so.”
This case has larger implications beyond the fate of the Helmsley estate. The three organizations believe that the court system has a responsibility to protect the wishes of any decedent, and also to protect the charity world from the whims of trustees who wish to ignore estate planning instructions. The misdirection of the Helmsley fortune should be of interest to everyone who hopes to provide for beloved pets after death, as well as to the multitude of organizations, from nonprofits to universities, that rely on bequests.
The groups involved in the lawsuit are not seeking grants for themselves, but do hope to work with the Helmsley Trustees in an advisory capacity to award grants to animal welfare groups of various size and scope around the country. “There has been a sea change in recent years in how we treat animals. It’s a shame that the Helmsley Trustees don’t understand or respect that change,” says Sayres.
Comments
As long as the money doesn't go to HSUS or other organizations working to eradicate animals from our lives, I'm all for it. The money should go to local shelters or rescues that actually rescue, shelter, provide vet care to pets, or provide low cost spay and neuter or vaccination clinics in their communities.
Not a penny should go to HSUS which is little more than a lobbying organization that pays out huge salaries to its executives, has a brand manager running all over the internet responding to any criticism of HSUS so as to protect the HSUS 'brand'. They've got social media 'gurus' getting paid good money to tweet on Twitter, yet only 4% of their hundred million dollar annual budget goes to helping dogs and cats, the animals they show almost exclusively in their TV ads. HSUS is shameless in its deception.
HSUS does NOT save animals! They are using their funds for legislative purposes, to enforce their beliefs and doctrines onto the private citizen! They collected millions of dollars during Katrina, and only 2% of the money collected actually went to rescues. What happened to the other 98%? it went to their ideals of infiltrating governments on what you should own, how you should, and how many you should own!
You missed the key statement these organizations bringing suit want to influence which organizations do get this money and not the trustees. This is the same as giving it to HSUS as they will instantly create organizations as they have around this country that espouse their views. Always run by one person from the "mafia family of HSUS volunteers who move to that state to push these laws on its citizens". If there was ever a time to fight this organization it is now. They will take away your animals forever.
What you are all saying is very interesting. If you could give me some reliable resources so I could investigate this myself, I'd appreciate it.
Sure, although Examiner comments don't allow for links so I hope this will work: This article deals with some of the deceptive/fraudulent fundraising HSUS has done recently: www(dot)nathanwinograd(dot)com/linked/dubiousdeals.pdf At the time of the Vick situation and while the HSUS was fundraising online for donations to care for the Vick dogs, the NYTs ran an article that revealed that HSUS didn't have possession of the dogs: www(dot)nytimes(dot)com/2007/08/01/sports/football/01vick.html?_r=2 People began asking questions about HSUS raising funds to care for dogs for which the organization was not providing care. The online plea for donations for the Vick dogs was quietly removed from HSUS website.
Regarding finances, they are all there on the HSUS website, but you have to comb through the financial docs to see how funds are allocated. I think that the Center for Consumer Freedom has an analysis somewhere (yes, some people complain about CCF's own agenda, but I have never seen HSUS manage to refute any of the numbers CCF has put out) I just read a few days ago that HSUS did originally share approximately 60% of its annual budget with local humane societies, but that this practice stopped in the very early 70s. I haven't found other sources of that info other than an article written by a dog person years ago, but I'm still looking into the matter (so if anyone can help me out, I'd appreciate it).
I have a friend who is pres of her local humane society....all of this was new information to her and said she did hope that word would get out that HSUS is not affiliated with local shelters. She said that they do not receive a dime from HSUS. It is a common misconception--last night having dinner at my husband's parents, friend of family thought that HSUS did provide funding to her local h.soc., that HSUS was the 'umbrella' for all local h.soc....NOPE. HSUS has written some 'shelter standards', but local h.soc. are under no obligation to follow them...they are governed and funded locally. HSUS does provide consultations to shelters/local h.socs...at thousands of dollars a pop.
Thank you, Clancy. I'm going to do some further research on this. I volunteer for the Humane Society, and from what I see, they have an excellent operation on the surface. I've been told they are at a 2% kill rate and are working to get it down to 0%. I do know on Wednesdays they get a lot of dogs and cats in from other shelters that are over crowded. I foster for them among other things, and whenever they are at full capacity a call goes out to foster volunteers and we take in animals so they don't have to euthanize. They can always use more foster volunteers.
Are you w/ Kentucky Humane Society in Louiville? I looked at their website a bit ago. Very nice...sounds like they make a good connection in the community. I was just telling my DH's aunt last night at dinner that she should consider fostering. Her old cat passed away this spring and she would like another, but worries about a long-term commitment now that she is older and her health is not great. I said a foster would be PURRFECT!!
Yes, I foster for the Humane Society in Louisville. Fostering would be great for your aunt. Right now I'm fostering a coon-hound that was a stray. A lady adopted him and returned him saying he was too hyper for her. He's really not that hyper. He's only a little over a year so still a puppy. I'm going to do some training with him so next time he'll find his forever home.
I have two comments. The first is that fostering animals for your local humane society is a great idea; kudos to those of you who have volunteered to do this! It can make such a difference in lowering the euthanasia rate by freeing up cage space at shelters, and young, sick, or injured animals often need the extra TLC and personal attention that a foster mom or dad can provide. At the last shelter I worked at, our fostercare program made a critical difference, especially during "kitten season".
My second comment is that the HSUS was established to promote animal protection at a national level. This type of work is beyond the scope of local shelters since they are consumed with the daily challenge of taking in homeless animals and serving as a safety net for pets at risk in their communities. I am proud to work for the HSUS, which has consistently received a four-star rating from Charity Navigator. Don't take these caricatures at face value; check out humanesociety.org and find out what we stand for.
Thank you, Hilary. HSUS saves the lives of thousands of animals a year. I am proud to be a volunteer for them. I've seen nothing but excellent treatment of the animals and continued outreach in this community. I haven't had the chance to do my research, but I intend to separate fact from fiction.
Interestingly enough the PRESIDENT of the HSUS has NO PETS. NOT ONE.. has not "rescued a SINGLE animal to live in his home.. no dogs.. no cats.. no rabbits.. no horse.. and YET he BEGS YOU to give him money.. DON'T do it.. give to YOUR LOCAL shleter.... bypass the large uncaring HSUS who do NOTHING but lobby. Your money can be put to a better use than paying the six figure salary of a non pet owner.
Think Globally.. Give Locally...
I agree that local shelters are desperately in need of funds to do their job. That is why I am involved with both HSUS and our local shelter. The Kentucky Humane Society in Louisville does a wonderful job of saving animals. If it were not for them, those animals would have to be taken to the local shelter meaning many more animals would have to be euthanized.
There are many wonderful rescue organizations. It's up to the individual to decide which one(s) to be involved with.
Hillary showing up to defend her employer demonstrates my point in the first post. The fact that neither she nor HSUS has ever successfully refuted facts critical of it demonstrates some of my other points. HSUS has approx. $200,000,000 in assets and IIRC is sitting on about $70,000,000 in cash reserves. It has an annual budget of approx. $100,000,000, yet CEO Wayne Pacelle will do TV donation campaigns where he implores viewers to send in $19/month to "save the life of just one animal." The puppies and kitties that are omnipresent in HSUS fundraising ads and literature suggest to the public that HSUS is in the business of rescuing, sheltering and caring for pets. Although false, HSUS banks on the misperception.
Then HSUS uses this ill-gotten gain to go after farmers. If the public had a CLUE that vegan Pacelle and the rest of the vegans in the HSUS leadership are trying to cripple livestock agriculture in this country, the public would have none of it!
Please donate locall
@Clancy et al. Anyone who goes to the HSUS's website will see that we are not a local humane society. Having worked at a shelter, it was very frustrating to see cruelty occur, and the laws weren't strong enough for us to do anything about it. The HSUS fights for stronger laws that help stop cruelty to animals - not just the dogs and cats but farm animals and wildlife too.
@Millie Tomlinson if you would like to see where the money went, I recommend going to hsus.org/hsus_field/hsus_disaster_center/disasters_press_room/beyond_katrina_three_years_later_0802808.html
Great article Brenda!
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