The ASPCA: A National Charity That Shortchanges Animals and Misleads Donors

A version of this article was previously published. Most of the information provided still holds true today. Western Justice is sharing to help reveal the manner in which extremist groups operate, their ties to and cooperation with other extremist groups, and the continued threat they pose to our lifestyles and livelihoods.

A Tarnished Mission

The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA) was founded in the late 1800s with the noble goal of protecting animals. But in recent decades, its mission and culture have drifted away from direct animal welfare and toward corporate-style fundraising, lobbying, and extremist activism. Despite its name, the ASPCA is not affiliated with local SPCAs or community shelters. In fact, it operates just one shelter in New York City.

Misleading Advertising and Deceptive Fundraising

The ASPCA spends tens of millions of donor dollars each year on emotionally charged TV ads featuring sad animals and celebrity endorsements. According to a 2021 Center for the Environment and Welfare report, ASPCA raised nearly $390 million in revenue in 2021 but spent only a fraction on sheltering. The budget breakdown included:

- $135 million for fundraising and advertising

- Nearly $1 million in CEO compensation

- $5.5 million for executive pay

- $5.3 million for travel

- $11 million stashed in offshore accounts

Meanwhile, only 2% of ASPCA’s budget — about $5.5 million — went to animal shelters, and shelters in just 29 states received support, leaving 21 states without funding at all.

A CBS News investigation confirmed that since 2008, ASPCA raised over $2 billion but gave just 7% to local shelters, while spending nearly three times as much on fundraising. Over $150 million was paid to a Canadian ad company for its iconic TV commercials.

Polling data shows how effective this deception has been: 81% of Americans believe the ASPCA is an umbrella organization representing SPCAs nationwide, and 73% think their local shelter is affiliated with ASPCA. Neither belief is true.

Bloated Salaries and Offshore Accounts

ASPCA executives enjoy lavish compensation packages. CEO Matt Bershadker earned nearly $1 million in 2020 and received a raise during the pandemic. Other executives make $400,000 or more. In total, 259 ASPCA staffers earn six-figure salaries.

At the same time, ASPCA has hoarded millions offshore in Caribbean accounts — money that could otherwise help animals.

Extremist Ideology and Lobbying

ASPCA’s agenda aligns closely with animal-rights extremists. In the 1990s, it published *The Animal Rights Handbook*, and in more recent years it has backed radical legislation. For example:

- In California’s Prop 12 (2017), ASPCA joined HSUS and others, spending $13 million to restrict animal agriculture.

- In New York, ASPCA pushed legislation allowing shelters to euthanize animals immediately upon intake if deemed “psychologically suffering,” a move criticized as a step toward PETA’s “better off dead” philosophy.

- ASPCA has repeatedly attacked the New York carriage horse industry, donating hundreds of thousands to NYCLASS, a group tied to real estate developers seeking horse stable land.

The Puppy Shortage and Shelter Breeding Debate

Perhaps most shocking was the revelation from ASPCA Vice President Emily Weiss in 2013. She admitted that shelters were “running out of puppies” and even suggested that shelters might need to start breeding dogs to meet public demand. This is a stunning reversal given ASPCA’s long-standing demonization of breeders under its “adopt, don’t shop” campaign.

Such a proposal raises troubling ethical and practical concerns: Would shelters perform genetic health screening? Would they breed crossbreds without oversight? Would shelters become profit-driven breeding mills? The hypocrisy of advocating breeding while vilifying USDA-licensed breeders underscores the contradictions within ASPCA’s agenda.

Local Shelters Push Back

Local animal shelters across the U.S. have grown increasingly vocal in condemning ASPCA and HSUS for exploiting name recognition while providing little real support. Ken White, former President of the Peninsula Humane Society, wrote in The Huffington Post that these groups are not parent organizations and do not fund local shelters. Many local humane societies have even changed their names to avoid donor confusion.

The State Humane Association of California once filed a complaint against ASPCA for deceptive fundraising that harmed local shelters. Across the country, shelter leaders warn that ASPCA’s tactics siphon donations away from the groups actually feeding, housing, and caring for animals.

Final Assessment

Independent watchdogs rate the ASPCA poorly. CharityWatch gives it a “C” grade and calculates that nearly half its budget goes to overhead. Meanwhile, animals continue to suffer in underfunded community shelters that most donors mistakenly believe ASPCA supports.

The truth is clear: ASPCA has become a fundraising machine, prioritizing politics, executive enrichment, and activist campaigns over helping animals. If you want your donation to make a real difference, skip the glossy ASPCA commercials and support your local shelter directly.