In article from PRWire that appeared on Earthtimes.org titled "Landmark Helmsley Legal Trust Challenge by America's Three Pre-Eminent Animal Welfare Organizations", three of the country's most prominent animal welfare organizations — in what they are terming the most significant financial litigation in animal welfare history — have filed suit in New York's Surrogate Court to intervene in the matter of Leona Helmsley's $5 billion estate. The three organizations are:
- The Humane Society of the United States
- ASPCA (The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals)
- Maddie's Fund
According to the groups, less than $100,000 of the initial $136 million Helmsley grants have gone to dog welfare and that appropriate use of even a small fraction of this money would make it possible to virtually empty all animal shelters in America of dogs without homes.
"Mrs. Helmsley's Trust Agreement and Mission Statement were clear: Help dogs. And the Trustees have not done this, and instead pursued their own agendas with Mrs. Helmsley's money," said Wayne Pacelle, president and CEO of The Humane Society of the United States. "Every person with a will or estate, and every charity that relies on bequest income, should be profoundly concerned about this misdirection of funds." [Emphasis added by SaveWCAL]
and
"Literally hundreds of millions of dollars that have been willed by people nationally, who cared about dogs, have not gone to provide for dogs as was intended," said Rich Avanzino, president of Maddie's Fund. "The ignoring of donor intent in this country has become an unspoken national shame." [Emphasis added by SaveWCAL]
Woof da!
