Having well-trained forces when going into battle is a good first step to overthrowing—or at least stifling—one’s foes. The Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) has a large following and they are known to be vocal to get their message out to the public. Helping to make sure those voices are heard, the HSUS provided tips for its supporters at the 2018 Taking Action for Animals Conference July 20-23 in Arlington, VA.
On its Facebook page, Taking Action for Animals is described as a group that “brings together HSUS volunteers and advocates from across the country for a shared goal: to better the lives of animals and people alike. Participants gain a better understanding of the many issues animals face in our society and learn how to take action in their communities through lobbying, education and other citizen advocacy.”
The Animal Agriculture Alliance (Alliance) was present at the meeting and released a report detailing its observations. Kay Johnson Smith, Alliance president and CEO, commented, “Farmers, ranchers and food companies are under constant pressure from animal rights activist groups who want to eliminate meat, dairy and eggs from everyone’s plate.” She added, “HSUS may not seem as extreme as many activist groups, but they share the same vegan agenda. We hope this report, along with our report from the 2018 National Animal Rights Conference, will help farmers, ranchers, veterinarians and all those dedicated to providing a safe food supply prepare for activist tactics and threats. Likewise, we hope they shed light on groups that fundraise on pets to help consumers better understand their true agenda.”
HSUS did not provide information on its website following the meeting with links to speakers’ presentations or other details of the event. The Alliance said in its report that conference organizers reported 520 people registered for the event, but attendance appeared much smaller, perhaps half that number.
Casey Kinler, communications manager at the Alliance, told WLJ that comments overheard at the conference indicated the low attendance could have been attributed to recent shakeups in HSUS’ leadership. Former CEO Wayne Pacelle and HSUS Vice President Paul Shapiro both resigned earlier this year amid sexual misconduct allegations.
Support for the group is strong. In its 2017 annual report, HSUS reported that it had 2.6 million Facebook followers and more than 800,000 followers on Twitter.
It is large numbers like that which are causing animal agriculture advocates to take notice, especially as supporters at the conference were given advice to “build their toolboxes.” The Alliance said speakers at the conference were focused on how to work with legislators on passing bills that make raising livestock and poultry more difficult for farmers and ranchers.
Comments from speakers included:
• Kitty Block, HSUS acting president and CEO, telling attendees, “We are reaching in our toolbox and using everything we can.”
• Kristen Tullo, HSUS Pennsylvania state director, said, “The single most important thing you can do is build a relationship with your legislator.”
• Carol Misseldine, HSUS senior director of grassroots and engagement, told attendees, “We all want more laws for animals.”
In addition to encouraging HSUS supporters to work for local ordinances and laws, discussion turned to enacting change through corporate engagement. Kristie Middleton, HSUS managing director for farm animal protection and formerly with People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, discussed how it is easier to persuade a food director to change a menu for what thousands of people eat than to try and persuade individuals on the street to go vegan. “Be relentless and try to get these institutions to say ‘yes’,” Middleton said.
Kilner told WLJ that when attending the HSUS meeting the Alliance staff did not hide their identities and had no problem registering. She noted that at a recent national animal rights conference the Alliance was called out with a friendly “hello” to let people know they were in the room, but the Alliance did not face any opposition.
Asked what animal agriculture supporters can learn from the tactics of HSUS and to build their own toolboxes, Kilner said a big thing is, “Don’t ever assume your legislator knows your issues front to back. Always stay connected and reach out to your legislators if you take that route, like the animal rights groups do.” She noted that the Alliance doesn’t lobby, but it does track animal welfare issues.
Kilner also noted that while trying to enact legislation is a tactic used by the animal rights groups, getting laws passed on the national level is difficult, so their attention has turned in some cases to passing local laws and ordinances, perhaps to get a foot in the door locally for a chance to get attention on a larger stage.
Emphasizing that message, Misseldine said, “You can change the world with local ordinance.”
Attendees were encouraged to have “ready-to-sign” legislation when meeting with lawmakers. One tactic revealed is the group’s use of a “Sentient Proclamation”—simply getting lawmakers to agree that all animals feel and have biological needs. HSUS supporters were urged to try and get this type of proclamation passed in their local communities.
With that in mind, Kilner said it is important for agricultural producers to be aware of what is happening in their communities. “These animal rights groups are always talking to legislators and the CEOs of companies, so agriculture needs to be there too; we need to take our seat at the table and tell the truth and tell our story of animal agriculture to make sure that we have a fresh and a good future for animal agriculture.” — Rae Price, WLJ editor
