We do need to have national and global organizations, but they need to operate ethically and effectively and reconsider their top-heavy and overpaid management. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. (See ASPCA and the Humane Alliance move toward merger. Its president and CEO, Matthew Bershadker was paid $843,539 in 2019 according to the organization's Form 990 filing with the IRS. Donation will be sent by my bank. They also started nesting there in the past few years. How the ASPCA cooked 26 dogs in a truck: source comes forward. As far as these birds not being liked, thats crazy! Sharing widely to socials, with gratitude and utter disgust. ASPCApro: Whats changed in animal control in the last 20 years, and what does the future of that work look like to you? We are honored by, and grateful for, the eight-dollar-a-month donors who have helped us and ANIMALS 24-7 to get this far. Thats pathetic and how much of that are they giving back to save these precious animals ?????? For small shelters, unlike the ASPCA, which does intensive image-building advertising that boosts fundraising, advertising animals for adoption is often the most expensive part of rehoming the animals. Prior to leading the Anti-Cruelty Group, Mr. Bershadker served as Vice President of the ASPCA's Development department, where he was responsible for creating fundraising strategy and implementing tactics for major gifts, planned giving, special events, capital campaign, and corporate and foundation grants. That increase in interest and activity is very good news for shelters, animals, and communities. Workers are not given a lot and they keep sending free stuff and asking for a donation. What that survey did not ask was whether donors knew thedifference between giving to the ASPCA and giving to other localSPCAs nationwide., Countered 30-year Houston SPCA president Patti Mercer, I would challenge the fact that 84% of people know thedifference when the fundraising tactics would lead you to believethat money given to the ASPCA trickles down into localorganizations.. In 2020, our ASPCA Shelter Medicine Services (SMS) team established the Julie Morris Shelter Medicine Residency Program, a New York City-based training program designed to provide intensive clinical training for licensed veterinarians interested in developing deep expertise in Shelter Medicine Practice, a very important and influential discipline weve supported for many years. In those four months, only two donorstwo!asked when the electronic edition would become available. If we keep raising our children thinking that non-profits dont pay for experience and education, how else are we going to change the world? Copyright 2023 CBS Interactive Inc. All rights reserved. In recognition of the ASPCA's 155th anniversary and the 20th work anniversary of our President and CEO, Matt Bershadker, we checked in with Matt to hear how he got involved in animal welfare and his thoughts on where the field is headed. What else can I say about these mutants. Frederick Tanne. CBS News found something else that donors might not be expecting. And at that, the ASPCA adoption transport program in May 2019 had a disaster still inadequately acknowledged, let alone addressed in a transparent manner. I belong to one in West Virginia. . (See New York Police Department eclipses ASPCA humane law enforcement stats in first full year on the beat.). In its commercials, the ASPCA says a $19 monthly gift could mean the difference between life and death for animals in danger. Frank Raven, Im curious as to why you conclude that animals would suffer if a CEO was not paid an absurd salary. It is also exasperating that the ASPCA meanwhile does not support, and even essentially opposes, animal-free vegan eating and instead puts donor money into falsely promoted humane poultry/animal production. The New York City head office & animal shelter of the ASPCA. Matthew Bershadker is currently associated with two companies, according to public records. I would wager a guess that there are plenty of individuals who could, likewise, do the same level of work while earning a lot less. Muckrake (n): synonym for crusading journalist. Do you know how much the ASPCA spends on advertising? Twitter/Insta: @tortoiserescue @worldturtleday. NEW YORK, N.Y.The heartbreaking commercials are almost impossible to ignore: Sarah McLachlan singing to images of suffering animals andmaking an urgent appeal for donations to the American Societyfor the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, or ASPCA, CBS News anchor Jim Axelrod opened on August 2, 2021. One way the ASPCA gets donors to add to its list is through hiring third party contractors to canvas, or solicit donations, in front of stores or in public places. Most, like inNassau County and Houston, had gotten nothing. These trees are where hundreds of egrets like to sleep. (See Fundraising turf war brings California groups complaint against the ASPCA.). Matt Bershadker. From the perspective of having been familiar with the salaries, credentials, and accomplishments of all of the top-paid executives in the history of the humane movement, ANIMALS 24-7 can say with confidence that only three of the top-paid 50 or so ever demonstrated themselves to be capable of earning in the private sector what they made by heading humane organizations and Matthew Bershadker was not among them. According to a 2019 national contract with Ascenta Group US, each solicitor was paid $40 a day by Ascenta to solicit donations on behalf of the ASPCA. Great work. "In our minds, the more money we could raise, the more animals we could help. 1894 shipwreck found in Lake Huron, confirming "powerful, tragic story", Bipartisan Senate group unveils rail safety bill in response to Ohio derailment, What to know about Shigella bacteria as drug-resistant strain spreads, Top Dems push Fox News to stop promoting "propaganda" about 2020 election, National animal welfare nonprofit ASPCA faces spending criticism, Lawsuits claim dental device wrecked teeth, Pandemic-era SNAP benefits end for millions of Americans as costs rise, Eye Opener: Millions face deadly winter storm. As of 2016, the ASPCA was founded in 1866 by Henry Bergh. There is no reason they should be making the kind of money they are getting. By Jim Axelrod, Megan Towey and Rachel Bailey, August 2, 2021 / 12:18 PM Roberta Kalechofsky, 90, interpreted Judaism in animal rights context. I believe it would be of benefit to the animals if Beth and Merritt started to list some of the organizations where compensation and marketing is in line with the reality of donations and the organizations purpose. And it's on top of Bershadker . Seven other ASPCA executives received compensation ranging from more than $300,000 to more than $400,000, in the pay range of the chief executives of the four other most affluent U.S. humane societies. Did ASPCA discover certifying SAFER dog screening might be dangerous? I am fine with a founder getting a fair salary. They never got a dime from me and never will. Call our 24-hour veterinary diagnostic and I see animal cruelty non stop here it breaks my heart. Its funny you mention the dodo, have you ever looked up the dodo on youtube? Further, cattle egretswho officially only arrived in the Americas in 1941are considered an invasive species by ecological nativists, are resented by many birders for colonizing other bird species nests, and older cattle egret hatchlings often push their siblings out of nests, to monopolize parental care. The -born President and CEO of the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA) expert is arguably the worlds most influential Matthew E. Bershadker is expert, with a wide-ranging social media outreach. $852,231! A professor in a university animal ethics course, who indicates that her students include everyone from ranchers to vegans, near universally weep in class when she plays the ASPCA commercial. You are both prolific and thorough, an amazing feat! I WAS GOING TO DONATE TILL I READ THIS. Id love to give him a piece of my mind in person, but since SHARK and I work on the front line, a place where I expect this twit never has ventured, I feel certain our paths will never cross. But Charity Navigator only gave the ASPCA two out of four stars for its financials based on efficiency of fundraising, the percentage of revenue spent on fundraising and the practice of selling donor lists. Take the donations and doesnt help ALL the animals they say they will?? On January 10, 2019, ANIMALS 24-7 discovered from the ASPCA filing of IRS Form 990, and promptly pointed out, that Bershadker took home $804,372 in pay for 2017, including a bonus of $276,000, and received benefits of $47,859, for total compensation of $852,231more than any two other animal welfare executives in one year ever. "The devil is in the details when one looks at spending," said Brian Mittendorf, the Fisher designated professor of accounting at The Ohio State University and a nonprofit tax expert. How zombies from hell ate animal protection, by Steve Hindi, New York Police Department eclipses ASPCA humane law enforcement stats in first full year on the beat. Just us. There are plenty of good, small time organizations, the kind that are still in the movement phase and that cant afford any slick PR campaigns or TV commercials ones like SHARK, UPC, Center for Biological Diversity, local wildlife rehabilitators and this publication for example. Using either the name SPCA or humane society implies no relationship whatever with any other organization. After those iconic [Sarah McLachlan] commercials debuted more than a decade ago, Axelrod said, the ASPCAs revenues tripled going from $85 million in 2007to nearly $280 million in 2019. In reality, Hughes said, the ASPCA operates only one animal shelter, in New York City. Perhaps you can be among them? It is because people including yourselves and ourselves, legions of eight-dollar-a-month donors and $9.70 an hour workers and volunteers, together built a movement. (See How the ASPCA cooked 26 dogs in a truck: source comes forward.). I am sickened to think that anything I donate would be to help pay his salary! According to the newly released tax returns, ASPCA CEO Matthew Bershadker received about $770,000 in compensation in 2018. From right: Fred Myer, Eppie Lederer (Ann Landers), Cleveland Amory, Ann Cottrell Free, & Henry Spira. But more than $28 million of the total money raised in 2019 was not reflected in spending that year. This means Bershadker's pay is more than 6 times the average nonprofit CEO. The founder, however, paid herself $72,000 a year, plus $36,000 a year to rent her property. I wanted to make the world a gentler, kinder place, and soon realized I could combine that drive with my love for animals. Seven other ASPCA executives received compensation ranging from more than $300,000 to more than $400,000, in the pay range of the chief executives of the four other most affluent U.S. humane societies. "The organization benefits greatly," Mercer said of the ASPCA. The importance of shelter medicine cant be understated. and advocating for animals through the political process. My friends told me not to give a single cent. Of course it was to a recording machine. That is thievery no matter how you look at it. The song Arms of an Angel was originally released in the late 1990s and was meant as a tribute to a fellow musician who had died of a drug overdose. But the ASPCA adoption transport program operates at a fraction of the scale of the North Shore Animal League adoption transport program, begun in 1971, and the PetSmart Charities transport program, which ran from 2004 to 2016. That was an enormous new challenge, and it opened my eyes to the plight of animals in a way I could never have experienced otherwise. As many of you know well, the consequences of povertys impact on dogs, cats, and horses are felt very intensely by community shelters and rescues. Matt is also a frequent speaker on animal welfare issues, having authored more than 100 editorials on various animal welfare issues in publications includingThe New York Post,the New York Daily News,The Hill,The Times-Picayune,The Star-Ledger, and CNN.com. Their stats show that 1.5 million animals are killed in shelters each year. The national and local orgs are different. American Tortoise Rescue Pathetic and mendacious! treatment hotline: Talking with Matt Bershadker, President and CEO of the ASPCA, Julie Morris Shelter Medicine Residency Program, showed that more than 4.2 million pets were at risk of entering poverty, housing crisis resulting from the pandemic, 2021 American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. Thank you for what you do!!!!! Millions of individual donors like her, and like you, contribute eight bucks a month, or many times more, depending on your income and ability, to dozens of animal charities each, around the U.S. and around the world. The ASPCA says the vast majority of donor dollars go directlytoward its mission, Axelroad intoned, but a CBS News investigation found there arequestions about whether the money is going where donors expect.. Karen Davis, United Poultry Concerns http://www.upc-online.org. They seem to exist almost exclusively for promoting pit bulls. "If the donors feel that there's an urgent need, and they must donate today so that they can meet that urgent need, and the organization isn't exhibiting that urgency, that's again, where a disconnect can cause a problem.". The next year, 2018, Bershadker was paid $712,397, plus $57,129 in benefits, for total compensation of $769,526. At the end of 2020, the ASPCA claimed more than $407 million in assets. working in an organization, that is funded by compassionate donations, is worth this level of payNOBODY!! Its people like him that stop people like me from supporting groups like ASPCA. NOBODY!!! His annual salary as of 2017 was in excess of $600,000. It would seem to me that the president and CEO of ASPCA would be embarrassed and ashamed of accepting such and exhorbinant salary, as well as the salaries of the other officers of the organization while most line level staff are being paid a paltry sum. Most recently, the ASPCA assisted federal and state authorities in the removal of nearly 100 dogs from a multi-state dog fighting ring. ", First published on August 2, 2021 / 12:18 PM. He has spoken before Congress in Washington, D.C. and given public testimony before the New York City Council on many critical issues, including ensuring proper funding for New York City shelters and advocating for legislation to protect dogs and cats sold in city pet stores. I live in Concord, California, in a neighborhood called concord Northwood. Currently working as President and Chief Executive Officer at ASPCA in New york, United States. If youre going to attack someones salary you should cite why they arent qualified to receive it. Patti Mercer who runs the Houston SPCA says she believes that type of fundraising could be deceiving donors, when those canvassers are set up in communities, like hers, where the ASPCA doesn't offer local services. also know about his Social media accounts i.e. In 2013, I was honored to be named President and CEO. This is not something that can be discovered from public records. Bershadker has led some of the most innovative programs to help animals all across the country. ITS A SHAME ! I see shelters adapting to the challenges of COVID-19 by making standard procedures virtualincluding online meet-and-greets and digital paperworkand by enabling foster caregivers to transfer pets directly to new owners, avoiding a shelter visit. How many people did it take to equal the amount of money this man was paid ????. Or they just dont care. In America, as Eric Hoffer put it, it is the destiny of every great cause to begin as a movement, become a business, and eventually degenerate into a racket. So much of that money could go to help the animals instead of lining his pocket. I, along with the rest of the Board, look forward to working with him in his new role. This was started by a man named Henry Bergh, who eventually went by the name of Matthew Bershadker. At the age of years, Matthew E. Bershadker weight not available right now. Matt: The animals Ive known throughout my life have played an influential role in who I am, how I view the world, and how I lead the ASPCA. Dori Dolgin. I formerly worked at a premier no-kill animal refuge. I was paid $8.50 an hour to start. Upon launching ANIMALS 24-7, in 2014, Beth & I initially hoped to continue this project in an online format. 2020 990 form shows revenue of about 325 million and revenue minus expenses of 57 million, which is 17.5%. Those line level staff are the reason for the success of the organization and the reason that so many donate what they can to care for those cats and dogs who are suffering and in such need. Since 2008, the ASPCA has raised more than $2 billion for animal welfare, Axelrod summarized. Maybe the compensation numbers are a little high. Matthew McConaughey Made His Views About Gun Law Reform Known at the White House. This is an expos (and appeal) that Beth & I really did not want to have to write, but one of our faithful & reliable donors of $8.00 per month persuaded us that we had to because donors like her, for the most part, are paying not only for the existence of ANIMALS 24-7, but for the existence of the entire animal protection & advocacy cause. I give every month to the ASPCA and the Humane Society but these so called CEOs and directors need to be fired ASAP. But probably no wildlife rehabilitation organization would be capable of helping hundreds of any bird species all at once. I was surprised to find the shelter overburdened by the challenges of caring for so many animals. The focal issue, that the ASPCA not only competes with local organizations for funds but also misleads donors into believing it supports the locals, has come up many times before. In 2019, the ASPCA's CEO Matt Bershadker made more than $840,000. This $5 million effort included free pet food for dogs, cats, and horses in New York City, Los Angeles, Miami, and Asheville; grants to struggling animal welfare organizations; emergency pet boarding services; expanded stationary and mobile veterinary care; and other vital resources for animals, people, and shelters coping with this crisis. Chief executive Matthew Bershadker took home $966,004 in pay for the year, including $856,673 from the ASPCA itself and $109,331 from ASPCA subsidiarieswhich most donors would consider an excellent annual income by itself. You see our work almost every day. What all of us do every day matters, and it will continue to matter until we live in a world where animals are thoroughly respected and cherished in our communities, our laws, our systems, and our values. In 2014, he partnered with the New York City Police Department and established a program . he asked. As a volunteer at the North West SPCA, in Oroville, California, Ive frequently had people tell me, I give money to you guys all the time. Thats where I became truly inspired to commit to the social sector. According to tax returns, ASPCA CEO Matthew Bershadker received $852,231 in 2019 and the ASPCA had over $20 million in offshore accounts! Matthew E. Bershadker, better known by her family name Matthew E. Bershadker, is a popular American President and CEO of the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA). That's more than the CEO's of Feeding America and the American Red Cross, charities that have a budget 10 times the size of the. Unfortunately, though more than 30 million U.S. households give to animal charities, these annual reports never built a readership of more than a few hundred. See Humane Society of the U.S. & codefendants pay Ringling Bros. circus $15.75 million and Charity Navigator issues donor advisory about HSUS & coplaintiffs $15.7 million settlement with Ringling. We always have. I saw that the CEO gets over $800,000 per year. He holds an MBA from Johns Hopkins Carey Business School and a Bachelor of Arts degree in Communications from Ohio University. Steve Hindi, arguably the most accomplished animal rights advocate of the past 30 years, has never taken a cent of compensation from his organization, Showing Animals Respect & Kindness [SHARK]. Coming from a background in finance, Bershadker previously served as the ASPCA vice president for development, meaning he was a fundraiser, and then for a time was senior vice president of anti-cruelty programs, back before the ASPCA returned responsibility for doing anti-cruelty law enforcementthe first and oldest ASPCA missionto the New York City police department. l live in western Colorado. In truth, ASPCA fundraising directly benefits only the ASPCA itself. Susan M. Tellem, RN, BSN Executive Director In 2014, based on an idea proposed by Matt several years earlier, the ASPCA and the New York City Police Department kicked off a groundbreaking collaboration to provide enhanced protection to New York Citys animals. The importance of shelter medicine cant be understated, having played a prominent role in significant animal welfare advances such as developing widespread animal shelter standards, supporting critical operational protocols, and generating new strategies to combat infectious disease and illness, which reduces the need for euthanasia. More distinguished predecessors, all of whom ANIMALS 24-7 found lacking in some aspects of leadership, included, besides immediate predecessor Ed Sayres, Larry Hawk, the late Roger Caras, and the late John Kullberg. It just doesnt make a lot of sense to give when the upper management is making that kind of money. Their breakdown showed that about 41 cents of each dollar donated to the ASPCA goes toward hands-on help withanimals across the country.. In 2018, Matt envisioned and led the creation of the ASPCA Behavioral Rehabilitation Center. According to a Charity Navigator study, the average nonprofit CEO's pay is $123,000. Great egrets, snowy egrets, and cattle egrets are all protected by the Migratory Bird Treaty Act of 1918, but while great egrets and snowy egrets are relatively rare, cattle egrets are abundant in both the Old World and the Americas, and are concerned a species of least concern by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature. They have all meant so much to me and my family. I cant even use the words that apply here to properly paste this #@&^%(. A Board Member of the Global Animal Partnership, Matt received his Master of Business Administration degree from Johns Hopkins University Carey Business School and a Bachelor of Arts degree in Communications from Ohio University. In cases like this, consideration for where the funds come from and for their intended use, should be a top consideration in whether it is ethical to make a millionaire out of its CEO. Matthew E. Bershadker was named president and CEO of American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA) in May 2013 [1] and serves on the Global Animal Partnership 's Board of Directors. I wish the US was as appreciative of animals. Not even Ingrid Newkirk herself makes a fraction of Matthew Bershadkers compensation! Message and data rates may apply. Just to line the CEO or upper managements pockets. with lot of social media fan he often posts many personal photos and videos to interact with her huge fan base social media plateform. You might also have seen our IRS Form 990 filings, posted annually. I love animals and dont want to see them suffer, but much of those salaries could be used to help the animals. As a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit corporation with more than two million supporters nationwide, the ASPCA is committed to preventing cruelty to dogs, cats, equines, and farm animals throughout the United States. Im sure there is plenty of work that could be funded by the excess paid to make an individual human rich. That is not where my donations need to be going. Contrary to what many people might think and despite the similar names and missions, the Houston SPCA, which operates a local shelter, a veterinary clinic and an animal ambulance amongst its services, isnt in any way affiliated with the national ASPCA. Mr. Bershadker helped form the Field Investigations & Response team to provide skilled support to state and federal agencies during large-scale puppy mill busts, dog fighting raids, animal hoarding cases, and other instances of animal cruelty as well as natural disasters such as the Joplin, Mo. I cannot send money to a humane organization that pays their CEO that kind of money but cannot respond to a critical animal abuse report! ANIMALS 24-7 extensively covered the Ringling debacle, after warning the late Animal Welfare Institute founder Christine Stevens and the late Fund for Animals founder Cleveland Amory that their star witness Tom Ryder was not credible more than two years before the case was filed against Ringling in 2000 that led to the eventual payout when Ringling counter-sued and then sued for damages. With over 1,000employees, Axelrod mentioned, the ASPCAs mission is to rescue, protect and carefor animals in need through a wide range of activities like animalrelocation, advocacy, training, legislative and veterinary services.. Included in the multi-pronged effort is a fully-subsidized spay/neuter facility in South Los Angeles, operated by the ASPCA. Weve also seen a 65% increase in equine fosters across the country. . We are not here to argue about what Matthew Bershadker is worth, or any other individualsbut if the top-paid individuals & organizations in animal advocacy are worth anything approaching $966,004 per year, surely we are worth a higher priority when eight-dollar-a-month donors have to choose which animal charities to help. Another $3.65 went toward membership development and other kinds of fundraising. Matthew's relationship status is single. You cite that this isnt a personal attack but lets be fair here. Mr. Bershadker will assume the position June 1, succeeding Edwin Sayres, President and CEO since 2003. Neither is any local SPCA across the country. These efforts relieved stress on shelters and provided important opportunities for animals to socialize in new environments. Ed grew the ASPCA by leaps and bounds and changed the fate of countless homeless animals. The ASPCA clearly stole the playbook from the Sally Strothers commercials of the 1980s that depicted starving children (but no sad pop songs, that I can recall), and similarly traumatized many now middle-aged people. Matthew received a Bachelor of Science degree from Ohio University and a Master of Business Administration from . Matthew E. Bershadker was named president and CEO of American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA) in May 2013 and serves on the Global Animal Partnership's Board of Directors.