Let’s cut to the chase — anti-hunting organizations are well funded, highly motivated and coming for your way of life. Hunters need to know who they are, and one of the best ways to learn is to visit their websites. You’ll often have to do a little research to find out what they really stand for, but ultimately you’ll uncover their true mission.
To learn about their finances, I visited www.charitynavigator.org and gleaned the figures below. With their information, here is my own Top 10 list of anti-hunting organizations.
Humane Society of the United States
Calling itself “the nation’s largest and most effective animal protection organization,” the HSUS raises money for a variety of national anti-hunting and anti-trapping campaigns. Charity Navigator (CN) rating: 75.49 (2 stars); Program Expenses: 69.5 percent; Fundraising Expenses: 27.4 percent; 2017 Revenue: $142,355,222; www.humanesociety.org.
People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals
This 12 million-member radical animal rights group issued a request for its minions across America to break established hunter harassment laws. CN: 80.80 (3 stars); Program Expenses: 83.9 percent; Fundraising Expenses: 14.7 percent; 2017 Revenue: $44,609,539; www.peta.org.
Center for Biological Diversity
CBD strives to expand the Endangered Species Act to include hundreds of animals and plants. CBD is pouring efforts into a campaign to stop “the slaughter of wolves.” CN: 97.86 (4 stars); Program Expenses: 84.0 percent; Fundraising Expenses: 8.1 percent; 2017 Revenue: $14,758,498; www.biologicaldiversity.org.
Defenders of Wildlife
DOF may call itself a “major national conservation organization focused solely on wildlife and habitat conservation and the safeguarding of biodiversity,” but you can often find them in courtrooms filing injunctions to stop hunting. CN: 81.29 (3 stars); Program Expenses: 71.8 percent; Fundraising Expenses: 14.5 percent; 2017 Revenue: $33,911,198; www.defenders.org.
Friends of Animals
The group supports “The rights of animals to be free of exploitation, domination and abuse by humans.” One their favorite sayings is, “Trophy Hunting and Prostitution Have a Lot in Common.” CN: 84.43 (3 stars); Program Expenses: 89.2 percent; Fundraising Expenses: 4.5 percent; 2017 Revenue: $4,103,787; www.friendsofanimals.org.
Sierra Club
Sierra Club officially opposes all trapping. The group also pushed for the end of using dogs when wolf hunting, and took a stance against using hounds to hunt bears and bobcats in California — which the state legislature banned. It’s not rated by Charity Navigator because it is not a 501(c)(3) organization. The IRS reported 2017 income of $129,486,321. www.sierraclub.org.
The Fund for Animals
Cleveland Amory founded the group in 1967. In 1974 he wrote the book, “Man Kind? Our Incredible War on Wildlife,” which is widely attributed for launching the anti-hunting movement in the United States. CN: 81.31 (3 stars); Program Expenses: 82.3 percent; Fundraising Expenses: 12.8 percent; 2017 Revenue: $6,007,910; www.fundforanimals.org.
American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals
As the first established “humane” organization in the Western Hemisphere, ASPCA rescues animals from abuse and works to pass “humane” laws. It also supports laws to prevent keeping dogs in outside kennels, and is against all forms of hound hunting. CN: 84.43 (3 stars); Program Expenses: 74.4 percent; Fundraising Expenses: 20.1 percent; 2017 Revenue: $217,398,213; www.aspca.org.
In Defense of Animals
DOA’s website states “The rights of animals are birthrights, similar to those we claim for ourselves.” Prohibiting hunting in national wildlife refuges is one of its key campaigns. CN: 73.54 (2 stars); Program Expenses: 61.3 percent; Fundraising Expenses: 23.5 percent; 2017 Revenue: $3,664,507; www.idausa.org.
International Fund for Animal Welfare
IFAW has a presence in more than 40 countries, and has campaigned to end fox hunts and seal hunts, to name a few. CN: 80.88 (3 stars); Program Expenses: 74.4 percent; Fundraising Expenses: 16.0 percent; 2017 Revenue: $22,398,295; www.ifaw.org.
I’d love to hear about your thoughts on, and interactions with, the anti-hunters. Drop me a note at editor@grandviewoutdoors.com and tell me about it.
