Funds to Animal Rights Groups Continue to Grow. Statistics Included

Good article that provides statistics from 2004 Form 990 returns for Animal Rights – Related Groups. In general, funds for these groups continue to grow.

I don’t vouch fully for the numbers provided. As they mentioned, the 40 percent is a general or aggregate number. Yet, if they used Form 990s, then the individual figures are correct.

Animal rights groups’ funds continue to grow

http://www.drovers.com/news_editorial.asp?

pgID=675&ed_id=3530

By Drovers news source (Tuesday, February 14, 2006)

Donations to animal rights groups increased 40 percent from 2003 to 2004 (the most current snapshot available.) “Animal People,” a publication that bills itself as ''News for people who care about animals,'' reported the results based on Internal Revenue Service Form 990, which the groups are required to file.

Animal People's list includes mainstream animal protection groups like the African Wildlife Foundation and Conservation International, which are not considered in the Animal Agriculture Alliance's calculations, to more radical animal rights groups like People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, the Humane Society of the United States, Farm Sanctuary and the extremely radical Compassion Over Killing. Please note that the most radical groups like Animal Liberation Front, Earth Liberation Front, Stop Huntingdon Animal Cruelty, Hugs for Puppies and Animal Defense League did not file tax documents, yet were responsible for many visible attacks on law-abiding businesses, their owners and employees.

Here’s a quick look:

• The Humane Society of the United States revenues equaled $74 million, up 3 percent.
• The Massachusetts Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (the next largest group), grew revenues to $48.2 million, an 11 percent jump.
• People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals reported a 20 percent gain or $28.1 million in revenue.
• PETA-affiliated Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine and the PCRM Foundation combined for $16 million, up from $12 million in 2003.

The combined budgets of animal rights organizations, which focus at least part of their activities against animal agriculture, were $207 million in 2003 and were well more than $290 million in 2004. The budgets for some of the better-known animal rights organizations are listed below.

Given/Earned	2004 ($ millions)	2003 ($ millions)	Change
Humane Society of the United States/Fund for Animals	74.0	71.6	3%
Massachusetts SPCA	48.2	43.6	11%
People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA)	28.1	23.5	20%
Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine (PCRM)	10.2	9.0	13%
PCRM Foundation	5.8	4.0	45%
Farm Sanctuary	4.2	3.4	24%

The 2004 federal forms on which Animal People's report was based were not available for the Doris Day Animal League or Viva!UK. The same federal forms have not been available for 2003 or 2004 for the PETA Foundation, Animal Rights International, Viva!USA or Global Resource Action Committee for the Environment, creator of The Meatrix.

Animal Agriculture Alliance points out that the groups’ combined efforts against animal agriculture spent more than $290 million in 2004.