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Columns
Section -
No Margins. No Limits. No Kidding.
TAKING STOCK OF THE ASPCA,
SPCA, APCC & AAPCC
The
American Society for the Prevention of
Cruelty to Animals may have a widely
recognized acronym but there are things
about this non-profit that may rattle
your cage!
The ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center (APCC)
is not the AAPCC (1) although the
acronym appears the same at first
glance, nor is it the animal equivalent
of the CDC (2) for the human population.
The first is an association of centers
and provides very little help or poison
information.
The CDC has doctors, scientists,
researchers and laboratory personnel. It
is a government agency with facilities
around the country. Experts can prove
their findings, locate the poisons, and
help to prevent the problem or disease
from spreading.
The best national number to call in an
emergency is
1-800-222-1222
which is the National Capitol Poison
Control Center (3) It is a free service
and the website has free information.
The ASPCA APCC keeps records of reported
and diagnosed poisonings that occurred
in animals. The records are created by
way of the FOR A FEE phones calls to the
APCC or, we assume, by affiliated vets
furnishing info to APCC.
The ASPCA APCC appears to be little more
than a phone line with a veterinarian on
call and a database. Could the lack of
diagnostics and research facilities
amount to taking an educated guess? We
must wonder if a high school kid, a
computer, and the same database, could
come up with the same answers.
You might be surprised to learn that the
ASPCA sells products, appears to endorse
some commercial products, sells pet
insurance, and offers credit cards. Yet
they do not seem to be spending money on
research for animal poisonings or
disease.
According to one of their websites, the
ASPCA operates Bergh Animal Hospital and
a shelter in New York City. Their
hospital is highly rated and the work of
the ASPCA has gotten a lot of good press
on Animal Planet Animal Cops.
The ASPCA has a database of animal
shelters which leads many people to
believe that they support shelters
around the country. However, if you read
the small print, you will see a little
disclaimer that states that the shelters
listed are not accredited, inspected,
endorsed by or affiliated with the ASPCA
Looking an awful lot like a marketing
group, the ASPCA may be misleading
consumers while skirting laws meant to
protect the public from misleading
endorsement of products by a non-profit
organization. Why would they be so
willing to endorse products and so
unwilling to endorse animal shelters? We
must believe that money is the
motivating factor.
How can this organization operate in
both the profit and the non-profit arena
at the same time? Has this ever been
addressed by the Attorney General of the
State of New York? The ASPCA boasts that
their lobbyists are stationed around the
country helping to get animal laws
passed. If they are using a war chest of
donated dollars to pass laws on people
in other states, how do we define them?
As a political machine perhaps?
Unless you are a vegan and want all
animals set free, should you worry?
Regarding meat, the ASPCA carefully
states that it is a “personal and
private determination” but the animal
rights position reads loud and clear …
“however, the ASPCA firmly believes that
animals who are bred, raised and killed
or harvested for human consumption, like
all animals, are entitled to protection
from distress and suffering during their
lives and at the time of their deaths.”
Regarding breeders, the ASPCA states
“Because there are homeless pets
awaiting adoption in every community in
the nation, the ASPCA strongly advocates
that persons wishing to acquire a dog
consider adopting one from a shelter or
other source of homeless animals. Those
who are committed to acquiring a
specific breed of dog should contact
their local chapter of the breed’s
rescue group or locate a responsible
breeder.”
If these few facts lead you to believe
that ASPCA is a powerful
anti-pet/anti-meat lobbying group, then
you should worry.
Reasonable citizens need to call for
changes in how non-profits are allowed
to operate, and they need to do it now!
Columns
Section -
No Margins. No Limits. No Kidding.
