Fellow Animal Lovers:

With so many animal-welfare charities already out there, why start a new one? The Humane Society for Shelter Pets exists because there is no national pet shelter umbrella group. There is, however, a lot of confusion about national and local animal charities. For example, both People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) and the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) spend very little of their resources supporting local pet shelters.

Local shelters, and the 8 million dogs and cats that enter them every year, need an advocate to help donations reach their target. In these difficult economic times, pet shelters are feeling the shortfall in charitable giving. Many shelters already operate on tight budgets to provide needed hands-on care and don’t have the time or money to spread a “give local” message. So we’ve established a national advocate to do just that.

Be sure to check out our handy shelter locator to find shelters near you that could use time, money, or supplies. It is estimated that between 3 and 4 million dogs and cats are euthanized every year, but we can reduce this by supporting local hands-on groups.

And please tell your friends about us. With entrenched national groups relying on the status quo, grassroots efforts from people like you are needed to educate friends and family to “Give Local” and eliminate humane confusion.

—HSSP