The following letter was recently written by long-time sportsman’s advocate and conservationist William Carney. Mr. Carney has spent decades of his lifetime advocating for the licensed hunter, trapper, and angler throughout Massachusetts and New Hampshire. The outdoor community is lucky to have a conservationist with Bill’s tenacity in “our corner”.
The letter appeared in the April 16th editorial/opinion section of the Concord Monitor - a New Hampshire-based newspaper. It is reposted here, with his permission, in its full and uncut entirety. The letter is based around the actions of infamous animal rights group Humane Society of the United States, and their presence in New Hampshire. It seeks to draw parallels between the group’s solicitation of donations for domestic pets, and the group’s recent outspoken political attempts to restrict various forms of hunting, as well as overthrow the rule-making authority of the state’s Fish and Game Commission. Readers of the Furbearer Conservation blog are encouraged to draw their own conclusions from the content of Mr. Carney’s letter.
Dear Editor:
I read with great interest the article of April 2, 2019 written by Ray Duckler titled “Fundraising can’t match animal abuse.” I state I do not support any type of animal abuse nor am I aligned or sympathetic with the plight of Ms. Christine Fay. Those in the animal protection community who recognize me by name will respond and say “that is not true as he has been a hunter/conservationist for over 70 years”. This puts me in a bad light in the eyes of the Humane Society of the United States - but hunting is not animal abuse.
What I do not condone is fundraising under the guise or should I say disguise of animal protection and welfare. Money that is then used for other purposes.
Ms. Heather Faria, Executive Director of the Pope Memorial Shelter states in that article “of course I am biased so send me $100.00” This would not be hard for the H.S.U.S. to do because if you look at the state required lobbyist spending reports at the N.H. Secretary of State Office; for H.S.U.S. you will see years 2014 through 2018 the Humane Society of the United States paid some $133,983.15 in lobbyist expenses. With little or no explanation what this money was spent on - this is also a requirement of the law.
Could it have been spent to lobby for anti-hunting and anti-trapping legislation or to support the ouster of sportsmen from the (New Hampshire) Fish and Game Commission? One might think the Humane Society of the United States could syphon off some of the 1,339 $100-dollar-bills that were probably originally donated for animal welfare for Ms. Faria’s shelter.
This information is available to the public at the Secretary of State office, 2nd floor at the NH State House. Or go online for additional information at http://www.humanewatch.org and read it for yourself.
William F Carney,
Bow, New Hampshire