Columns Section - No Margins. No Limits. No Kidding.

SHARING YOUR DOLLARS AND DEVOTION WISELY

Nel Liquorman, Health Editor / TheDogPress © Dec. 2008 - Ah, Christmas and year-end giving.  Select a worthy animal rescue or legislative group, then give and your heart will soar. Choosing can be tricky and finding out after you gave to the wrong charity can make your heart ache! Look for needy groups that actually are helpful to animals and share your ideals.

ASPCA, taking in 79 million last year, sells insurance and product partnerships. You may or may not share the views of their powerful lobbying groups. Local SPCA groups, not part of the ASPCA, benefit from publicity on Animal Planet TV.

The darling of celebrities, HSUS also seems favored by media but is not rated very high by charity watchdogs. It is a huge organization, the richest of all so you could easily find a more needy charity.

According to www.give.org, Best Friends Animal Society does not even meet the standards for Charity Accountability plus the CDC is concerned about introduction of disease, including rabies, due to the foreign strays this group imports.

For ratings, try www.CharityNavigator.org. How does a group spend money? Does it truly help animals? Small groups with shoestring budgets often rely on money chipped in by directors and they appreciate cash donations.

Missions or politics matter. Do you support mandatory spay and neuter for all animals? What about restrictive legislation and high license fees? How about the end to all domestic pets, an objective attributed to PETA and HSUS? Not in agreement? Check out NAIA, the National Animal Interest Alliance. It is proactive for all animal owners.

Donate wisely to make Holidays a truly happy time! Write a check with your mind and your heart, knowing your gift is in the right place.

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