What is the best animal and environmental welfare organization to donate to?

[UNC4Me]

I donate to a couple local dog rescue groups. I like supporting local charities and both are very transparent with their use of funds. It's also fun to help with their adoption events and be part of a sweet dog finding a forever home.

[oregonwoodsmoke]

Originally Posted by NJ Brazen_3133

....... PETA good, reputable organizations?........?

PETA has a reputation, but it is not a good one. Don't take my word for it, do a little research.

I suggest your local humane society or animal rescue, or best yet, whatever organization in your area that offers free or cheap spay/ neuter.

If you honestly want to help wildlife, donate to one of the hunter's organizations. I know that sounds contradictory, but they are the people who actually spend their money on purchasing premium wildlife habitat so that it remains undeveloped. They are the ones who monitor herd health and advocate reasonable game limits and who fight against poachers. They are the ones who coax Congress into setting aside wildlife preserves. They are the only ones in my area that risk their own lives to get hay to snow bound starving elk.

A serious warning about supporting rescue organizations. Some are wonderful and too many of them are no more than animal collectors. Be very careful about which rescues you decide to support. I know of "rescues" who are nothing but wholesalers, taking free pets and reselling them without any concern about where they go. I also know of a couple of different "rescues" who are nothing but animal hoarders, taking in animals who were not in need and refusing to place any of them, while they beg the public for funding. There are many puppy mills who claim to be "rescues" when all they are doing is selling all the sad little puppies they are breeding themselves.Those types of places are not helping animals and you should not support them.

[jackmichigan]

Originally Posted by oregonwoodsmoke

If you honestly want to help wildlife, donate to one of the hunter's organizations. I know that sounds contradictory, but they are the people who actually spend their money on purchasing premium wildlife habitat so that it remains undeveloped. They are the ones who monitor herd health and advocate reasonable game limits and who fight against poachers. They are the ones who coax Congress into setting aside wildlife preserves. They are the only ones in my area that risk their own lives to get hay to snow bound starving elk.

Yes, hunters have contributed a lot towards protection of habitat...but non-hunters have, too. The bulk of land conservation in America is now taking place through land conservancies--which boast both hunters and non-hunters among their members. Gone are the days when only hunters can be viewed as conservationists.

[North Beach Person]

Originally Posted by oregonwoodsmoke

PETA has a reputation, but it is not a good one. Don't take my word for it, do a little research.

I suggest your local humane society or animal rescue, or best yet, whatever organization in your area that offers free or cheap spay/ neuter.

If you honestly want to help wildlife, donate to one of the hunter's organizations. I know that sounds contradictory, but they are the people who actually spend their money on purchasing premium wildlife habitat so that it remains undeveloped. They are the ones who monitor herd health and advocate reasonable game limits and who fight against poachers. They are the ones who coax Congress into setting aside wildlife preserves. They are the only ones in my area that risk their own lives to get hay to snow bound starving elk.............

The bolded is what both Ducks Unlimited and Delta Waterfowl do for waterfowl, Elk Unlimited, Pheasants Forever and Trout Unlimited also for their respective focus.


As mentioned, it seems counter intuitive but those organizations are the ones that lobby legislatures for initiatives like the Conservation Reserve Program to protect sensitive nesting and breeding areas, buy properties or establish permanent easements such as wetlands. Not all are open to hunting. Hunters, and fisherman, also pay special taxes (Pittman-Robertson Act) on every piece of equipment they buy which goes back to state wildlife/environmental departments.