Despite the iconic ads that pull on people’s heartstrings calling for donation of money to the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, it’s well-documented that the animal charity puts only a minuscule percentage of that money toward helping local shelters and instead uses it to advocate against things like livestock production.
In a new video series, a former president and CEO of the ASPCA, Ed Sayres, laments that the organization isn’t using the money to actually help pets at local shelters as he had envisioned.
“What’s happened with the ASPCA grants program is that it’s now down to about $5 million a year for pet shelters when you have revenue of $390 million per year. Now that’s disappointing,” he said. “In 2020 and 2021, the ASPCA finished with an operating surplus of $50 million or $80 million, and those resources could really be used to be helping shelters.”
Sayres, who left the ASPCA in 2012 after nearly a decade there, is known for having overseen the creation of the infamous Sarah McLaughlin commercial and $19.99 monthly gift donation model, ushering in a new era of nonprofit fundraising — and radical revenue growth — for the ASPCA. He tells his viewpoint in a three-part video series, sharing why he believes his successors have lost their way.
“What’s upsetting as time has gone on is that the original purpose of those funds seems to be forgotten. People will tell me ‘Well I donate to the ASPCA and I know my local organization gets those donations’ and I would say that no, they actually don’t … your local organization doesn’t automatically get funding from the Humane Society of the United States or the ASPCA,” he said.
Most of the organization’s money goes toward activism, fundraising, and administrative costs, including the sizable salary of current CEO Matt Bershadker, who makes nearly $1 million a year — $881,785 in base salary and $108,740 in benefits. Other executives earn well into the $400,000 range.
Recent activism by the ASPCA has included lobbying against what they’ve dubbed to be “factory” farms — except there is no actual definition of a “factory farm” outside of the activist lexicon. This term is used to disparage a variety of farming operations.
Recognizing the misdirection at the ASPCA, Sayres is working with another advocacy group, the Center for the Environment and Welfare, to share his side of the story and to encourage people to bypass the ASPCA and give directly to local shelters instead. Sayers is a senior advisor for CEW.
“Ed is motivated to help local shelters,” CEW executive director Jack Hubbard said. “There is no one with a better background or credibility to correct donor confusion and demand these national animal groups stop hoarding donations. Donors deserve to know that the ASPCA and HSUS are unaffiliated with local shelters.”
His second and third videos can be seen here:
The modern ASPCA has repeatedly shown a gross misunderstanding of how agriculture and sustainable practices work, including how access to advanced technology and herd health initiatives are positively revolutionizing the very industry that it spends the majority of its money attacking.