Response to HSUS Statement

http://www.pasadosafehaven.org/NEWS/HSUS%20Excuses.htm

It appears that supporters of HSUS have expressed their concern over
why HSUS was not involved in investigating the St. Bernard dog
shootings, or why they didn't assist Pasado's Safe Haven in upgrading
Pasado's $10,000 reward offered to find the killers . A blanket
response appears to have been issued today by HSUS to thousands of
people across the country, based on the forwarded copies we've
received. Sadly, HSUS chose to point fingers at us, rather than answer
why they haven't acted to help in this case.

We feel it is necessary at this point to respond to this
widely-broadcast message. I would like to say that I find this waste of
time very sad. The time it took for HSUS to write this - and for us to
respond - could have been used to actually do something positive for
the animals.

Pasado's Safe Haven is a small organization, comparatively speaking. We
have a total of six shelter staff members, three of which are still in
New Orleans rescuing animals. I do all of the website work myself, so I
take credit for any statement that Mr. Unti refers to (as well as the
typos I may make late at night!).

We, like other rescuers in the Gulf, waited for the large animal
organizations to DO SOMETHING when the St. Bernard dog shootings came
to light. But nothing happened. As quickly as Mr. Unti disseminated the
statement about Pasado's, help could have been offered by HSUS in this
case.

Pasado's Safe Haven, having been on the ground for weeks rescuing,
decided to contact the AG's office and found out that no one had
offered help in funding an investigation. We respectfully disagree with
Mr. Unti in stating that law enforcement or state authorities rarely
want or accept financial assistance. As sad as it may seem, local,
county, and state governmental agencies rarely have funds (or will use
them) to investigate animal cruelty cases. We routinely offer financial
assistance in cases like this. A cat poisoning trial slated to go to
court this month, involving a woman who poisoned three cats with
anti-freeze, is based on evidence Pasado's paid for on behalf of the
prosecuting attorney's office. To us, it's a small price to pay to find
the perpetrators of such crimes.

Since that phone call, Mark Steinway, Pasado's Humane Investigator, has
been working alongside the Louisiana State AG. And we're very pleased
with their response. Not all law enforcement or AG's offices are as
responsive.

For those who are not aware, Mark and our veterinarian worked with an
Assistant State's Attorney and two AG investigators on the scene at
three separate schools and a football field, where cats and dogs had
been tied up and shot. The night before the meetings in St. Bernard
Parish, Mark purchased all of the investigative recovery equipment:
plastic bins, labels, videotape (to document the recovery), paper
enclosures for bodies, plastic evidence bags for bullets, etc. to
conduct the investigation. The AG's office personnel oversaw the
recovery of spent shell casings, other forensics, and the bodies to
assure proper investigative protocols were followed. Mark spent very
long days literally scooping up the remains of these animals who laid
in these hot schools for nearly a month. Mark and our veterinarian
transported the bodies to the State of Louisiana's LSU Veterinary
Teaching Hospital for necropsy. Pasado's Safe Haven is paying for the
radiological exams and necropsies. Once the Diagnostics Lab has
completed their work, we will then assume costs for ballistics and
other forensics exams necessary to perhaps, find the killers.
Additionally, we offered a $10,000 reward seeking the arrest,
prosecution, and conviction of whomever is responsible for these
crimes. We have never overestimated our ability to pay for the
necessary forensics services or the reward, despite HSUS's
insinuation to the contrary.

We have not asked HSUS to help in any way, nor will we. Although we
have never written about this before this e-mail, it is our opinion
that there was a great degree of mismanagement of the Lamar Dickson
facility in Gonzales. When HSUS could no longer operate at Lamar
Dickson, their representatives approached our rescuers in Raceland, LA
to use our facility in exchange for a generous donation to offset our
costs. While negotiating in good faith with HSUS to reach an agreement
(and without a signed agreement), we allowed HSUS reps to use our
facility and support staff, equipment, and supplies. After all, it was
in the best interest of serving the most animals possible. But, due to
the chaotic nature of the HSUS-led rescue efforts and their inability
to keep good records on animals rescued, it was only a matter of four
days before our rescuers had to ask HSUS people to leave. We were never
reimbursed by HSUS for those four days nor will we ask for
reimbursement. Pasado's does not need HSUS's money. What we were
attempting to do was force HSUS into making a written commitment to
follow through in an organized manner and set clear, reachable goals.
This was not to happen.

Simply "writing a letter" to the AG's office, or "offering our full
cooperation" as Mr. Unti's letter stated, means little. It looks good
for public relations, but DOING something is what counts. Pasado's
attitude is "Put your money where your words are". According to
published reports, HSUS brought in $17 million dollars in
Katrina-related donations. Their net assets total just under $100
million, according to their 2003 tax return. Supporters of HSUS, in our
opinion, should ask for a detailed accounting of where the millions of
dollars were used to support the animals of this disaster. Supporters
of Pasado's, or any other animal rescue group who asked for donations,
should be expected to do the same. And we will. I would like to note
that the ASPCA DID contact Pasado's and requested we submit a
fast-track grant to help our rescue efforts. Additionally, the ASPCA is
offering to pay for transport of Katrina animals from shelters back to
their owners, as well as reimburse rescuers for associated costs. We
applaud them for using their funds in these ways. A safe prediction is
that after your letters to HSUS, prompting this discourse, we might be
seeing some creative uses of HSUS funds for the animals now.

For details on how HSUS spends your donations, click here

http://www.guidestar.org/FinDocument...225390-1-9.pdf

To see how Pasado's Safe Haven spends your donations, click here

http://www.guidestar.org/FinDocument...843707-1-9.pdf

Once again, my apologies for having to take up your valuable (and my)
time responding to this. My only concern is that we find the people
responsible for killing these helpless animals. Since we are inundated
with requests for a response to the HSUS statement, I would kindly ask
for you to widely post this. Thank you, and for the animals, Susan
Michaels, Co-Founder, Pasado's Safe Haven