Is there anything wrong with me because I only donate to animal charities and never human ones?

If you care more about animals than humans you're a psychopath. And your house constantly smells like shit.

OP is the type of person who would laugh while their rabid dog eats an infant alive.

R1 funny that, because I only have one dog. And we're both potty trained.

OP, it simply means that you're alienated from your own humanity. That's usually not a good thing.

Nothing wrong with it, OP. Everyone cares about humans. 95% of charities are for humans. The UN exists for humans.

Few are helping animals. You’re doing good. Your circle of compassion is simply wider than most others’.

Toxic flyover fucks in here.

R6 ?

Not OP, R7. The reactionary fucks replying.

No OP, you're just fine.

The starving kids probably deserve it anyways, right?

Depends on which charity you donated to. If they help endanger species in rain forest or north pole, then it is okay. I donate to a charity that help orangutans to rehabilitate into the wild. But if the charities are just about cats and dogs and rabbits, then you are just stupid.

[quote]But if the charities are just about cats and dogs and rabbits, then you are just stupid.

Why, R11?

Good for you OP. you're kind

No, op, I do the same. I am also willing a large chunk of my estate to animal charities as well

I donate almost exclusively to animal charities because they're often overlooked, and animals can't help themselves, they need human help.

When there's a natural disaster I generally give 2/3 of my donations to animal rescue charities and 1/3 to food banks for humans. That's what I donate to locally as well, the food basket, the shelter, and the (entirely volunteer-run) humane society.

I'my leaving my millions to animal charities. $200,000 though to the executor of my will though.

It will probably be challenged by cuntie relatives though.

R12 Because you will be paying to hippies running around town catching stray dogs.

Forget the ASPCA and Human Society, they have millions to spend on TV commercials. I give to the two animal shelters in my county, who really need the money.

Ooops. Typed too quickly. I meant HUMANE Society. And BTW when will Muriel bring back "Preview" so we can catch our errors before posting?

If that was directed at me, R18, I do give to the local shelter and humane society.

Local humane societies are not the same as The Humane Society of the United States.

Nothing wrong with that at all. I agree with the poster above who said try to donate to smaller charities and sanctuaries rather than the big ones but I’d always give my money to animals over people. Way too many of us humans in the world and we’re either killing off entire species or treating the others appalling (hello industrial farming or bastards who mistreat their pets).

^ ‘appallingly’

No, as long as they aren’t pit bull charities.

Can’t trust those mother fuckers.

I'm the same, OP. I used this guide to add a few to my list, but I give to about 20 animal charities right now—local, national, international. Every Friday, I give $5, $10, $20 to a bunch of them. It feels great.

Bless you for helping animals, OP.

[quote]Because you will be paying to hippies running around town catching stray dogs.

And what's wrong with that? Lots of assholes posting here, as R6 already pointed out.

Absolutely not, OP! There are no bad animals but plenty of bad people. Keep on giving! I’m right there with you.

Nothing wrong with helping dogs, cats and rabbits. The majority of them are unwanted and lead awful lives. They need saving.

OP, if you'd like any suggestions of charities, let us know!

Many things.

R1, R2 and R4 are monsters.

Did this site formerly have a preview function?

A monster for caring about humans?

R28 I would greatly appreciate that. Charities/organizations for wildlife are ok, but for me personally pet charities are what's closest to my heart.

And it's not a charity, but for DLers who use Reddit, there's a sub called Random Acts of Pet Food (r/randomactsofpetfood) where you can donate pet food to people in need. I used it last year when I was struggling from the pandemic and now I like to spread as much awareness about that forum as possible.

I don't understand donating to those wild animals like elephants in Africa or hippos or whatever...what purpose do they serve? Maybe they are supposed to go extinct. Fuck them. The charities are probably scams, lots of admin fees and high pay to employees, very little to actual causes.

I would rather donate to the food banks for starving families.

Humans were never meant to have animals living with them in their homes. Pet owners are the reason these charities need to exist in the first place.

R35, I agree, but given that we do have these animals, we have to care for them as best we can and reduce their populations through sterilization, etc.

R34 is repulsive.

No, you sound very kind OP

R20 I apologize for not using correct name of the national organization. Locally, none use "humane" in their name. Simply say "Shelter,." Many people still call it "the pound.":

R31, "Preview" has been gone for a few years.

What a big mess humans have made of this planet. The animals should be given back to nature and nature should be given back to the animals—humanity failed and thus should be terminated. I say we put the horses in charge. All in favor, say “neigh.”

I donated $300 to my local shelter on Fri. It felt good.

R38, many local animal shelters have "humane society" in their name and none of them are affiliated with the HSUS at all.

I honestly didn't realize some people thought there was only one humane society, and it was the HSUS.

Animals can't speak up for themselves OP. Don't feel guilty.

OP must have met my mother.

I'm more inclined to donate to educational or scientific charities (cancer research and such) than other types of charities.

I don't think it makes a person any better or worse when donating to causes about which they feel strongly, nor does it make a person a "better" person for donating to humanitarian causes than other ones.

It means you are doing something right.

I'm totally okay with it, OP, the world is massively fucked up, and no individual can do much to fix it. If you're fortunate to be in a position to donate, then donate what you can in a way that has meaning to you and in ways that will actually help. IMHO the advantage of confining your donations to a specific field is that you can learn a lot about that field, which charities are effective and which are not, and that means your donations have more effect.

It's all good, everybody.

I would be my salary that those criticizing the OP give nothing to charity. It’s always that way in experience. In all my decades of helping animals I’ve heard “But what about the children, elderly, homeless (fill in your own)?!” And to all I say, no one’s stopping your from helping them.

Funnily enough, the people who help animals are usually the ones also helping those individuals listed above...

Lots of errors...apologies ^ I need to put on my glasses

No OP, there is nothing wrong with you. You're just a person who has a special place in his heart for creatures that are the least able to take care of themselves. It's your money and no one can tell you who you should or shouldn't give it to.

I do the same, OP. as Gandhi said, The greatness of a nation and its moral progress can be judged by the way its animals are treated.

If we don't take care of our animals, we don't take care of our country.

You should donate to St Jude. Alec likes cigars, and not the cheap ones.

OP, here's my first suggestion—Best Friends. They've worked with smaller groups to make LA a no-kill city, by promoting adoption and setting up a network of rescue shelters and fosters. They're a pretty big organization, which may matter to you for better or worse.

One of my favorites: Wildlife SOS. They save abused and injured wildlife in India. They are rescuing India's elephants from horrible nightmare conditions, and bringing them to their slowly expanding sanctuary (Raju is a very famous case: I can't even write what happened to him before his being rescued). They're transparent and very communicative to supporters, including fundraising in the US once a year. Truly a good organization made up of earnest, good people.

I saw this IG post showing two elephants who were sisters or best friends, separated in two trucks that were just starting to leave for the road: they were holding each other's trunks, saying goodbye. I posted it here maybe last year. It was so haunting and sad. I hope Wildlife SOS is able to rescue all of India's elephants someday, and those two sisters/best friends can be reunited.

This stuff weighs so heavily on me, OP. What animals go through because of us... Sigh.

One more, OP. Animal Legal Defense Fund: they are a public interest legal organization that gets the federal government, states, and localities to beef-up animal protection laws and regulations, and to actually enforce them. They're lobbying for a national animal abusers registry, and helped get a huge bill through Congress, the PACT Act:

[quote] The Preventing Animal Cruelty and Torture Act — the PACT Act — is meant to correct a lingering oversight: When Congress approved the Animal Crush Video Prohibition Act in 2010, it made it illegal to create, sell or distribute an "animal crushing" video. But that law applied only to recordings of cruelty — leaving the actions themselves legal under federal law. The newly passed bill would change that.

That's from NPR. I'll post the link in the following post.

And Trump did sign it into law in November 2019.

R52 and don’t forget you get an adowable blanket!

Agree about Animal Legal Defense Fund.

Please think about The Humane League, which does more for farm animals like chicken than just about any other organization. Another good one is Animal Equality.

Cats and dogs get lots of money. Farm animals really need our help.

One of Wildlife SOS's rescues.

Be careful with any groups with “Wildlife” in their name. They are usually fronts for hunting organizations. The one with the panda (WWO? Cannot recall the name) is a hunting group.

Defenders of Wildlife is legit.

This one. Only support if you want to fund hunting.

R61, yup, I definitely knew that before I started giving to Wildlife SOS. They’re ok. They’re against hunting and the like.

While I do prefer the company of animals over humans I still donate to Lambda Legal, the Trever Project and local Gay charities (which I know put it to a good use).

Technically, we're all animals (although some act like it more than others).

Hope for Paws, featured today on The Dodo. Will post the video next.

Hope for Paws today on The Dodo.

Why not look into the Heifer Foundation where you can support animals and people simultaneously?

R67, that organization gives animals to people to breed and slaughter or use for labor.

I despise the Heifer Foundation.

R67, how the hell are they helping animals?

Well...

Call UNICEF, DO/R70. This thread isn’t for you.

Nothing wrong, op.

I despise it too.

I do the same, OP. I donate to local shelters, and when there is a disaster, and everyone s rushing to donate to human charities, I donate to local organizations in the effected area(s) to help the displaced animals that are in need, and forgotten.

Animals don't need charity.

R75 is a sociopath. Sad.

Sad story with ok outcome. She still needs to see the vet for what happened.

Thanks R75 I like knowing who the psychos are so I can block ‘em.

Animals aren't donating to human charities - only humans do. So I see no reason to donate to their charities.

I do the same, OP. I go beyond that. I adopt rescue dogs. I am in the country and have the space.

Donate for humans? Nope. I pay more than my share in taxes for these destructionists.

Some years ago In an interview, Betty White said that people question her devotion to animal causes and charities over those for people. She said that of course people are more important than animals, but there are so many people charities, you name a people cause and there will be multiple organizations devoted to that cause, but by comparison hardly any any charities for animal causes. She said than that people charities aren’t being shorted by the animal ones.

People can always seek/obtain help. Animals cannot. And domesticated animals are at our mercy.

Baby girl- you're fine.

I only donate to historic building restoration projects. People can always seek/ obtain help. Buildings cannot.

[quote]Is there anything wrong with me because I only donate to animal charities and never human ones?

Depends. Have you ever tried to insert the eraser end of a pencil into a cat's anus?

I'd trade a million humans for one dog.

OP - I do the exact same thing. So does my best friend. Nothing wrong with us at all (on that level - I have other problems lol). I will never feel shame about giving money to animal charities.

So go off MARYS and call me a psychopath and antisocial etc. Zero fucks given on my end.

and AMEN r85. Me too.

Alley Cat Allies is good. They do TNR (trap, neuter, release) and of course rescue, foster, and adoption. And advocacy work with cities. They also work on finding abusers and bringing them to justice.

R84 Please get ass cancer and die. TIA!

R87 So after spaying/neutering the animal, they just throw it back out onto the streets to fend for itself? I mean, I understand why they do it but I'm still not 100% comfortable with the idea. I'd rather be focusing on rescuing them off the streets.

R89/OP, read up on TNR. It's for feral cats. It's not for their existing kittens and not for cats who previously had humans taking care of them.

I'm kind of surprised that you haven't learned about it, given your concern for homeless companion animals.

those of us who have encountered OP would have expected nothing less

No OP. Very few humans are worth a damn. I'm with you, but just make sure they are legitimate animal charities. Check them out. A huge amount of phony ones are out there and especially advertise on TV where they show these pitiful animals. They are not for real. No animal ever sees a dime of the money sent to them.

R90 that's kind of what I figured, I just hope they're doing more than TNR to help the feral cats (feeding them, providing veterinary care, etc.).

I've been mostly focused on pets in shelters, but all animals are worthy of helping to me.

R93, they feed them for sure.

R1 Giving is more reasons to donate to animal charities.

Animal Charities Evaluator helps you see which animal charities do the best work, and where your money is best spent.

The Humane League comes out on top along with the Good Food Institute and a few others.

Sweet rescue.

No. But if you’re one of those people that are like “fuck the children [charities]” then yes. I’ve met plenty who are outright disdainful of children’s charities in particular and show no compassion toward fellow humans.

OP, it means you spend too much time scrolling through Datalounge and it has fucked up your view of humanity.

If you care about animals best thing you can do is go vegan. Directly and indirectly the best thing you can do. Much more effective than giving to charity - most of your donation goes to salaries. Going vegan 100% of your effort in some way or another will benefit animals, and kids while you’re at it.

^^ to follow up - or even vegetarian, or even to cut down on your meat and dairy intake, all of this is great for animals and humans alike.

R98 the nice thing about this country is that we get to choose which charities we give to.