Charity Navigator, a respected source of information on charitable organizations, has revoked the rating for the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) and issued a “donor advisory” for the organization, which has often tangled with farmers over livestock practices, according to a recent article on Ag Web.
According to Charity Navigator’s website, the decision was because of the Humane Society’s involvement in a long-running lawsuit with Feld Entertainment, the operator of the Ringling Brothers and Barnum & Bailey Circus. Animal rights group, including the Fund for Animals, which later merged with the Humane Society, had sued Feld, saying that the circus abused its elephants.
The animal rights groups lost the case in 2014 after it turned out that a key witness was not reliable. Feld countersued, winning a $15.75 million settlement from the Humane Society and its co-plaintiffs. Despite statements by the Humane Society leadership that insurance would cover the costs of the settlement, that did not happen, leaving the organization’s on the hook for the full settlement amount.
As a result, the Humane Society was tagged with a “donor advisory” and lost its star rating, which had fallen in recent years to high overhead and fundraising costs.
