In Their Own Words The Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) has this to say …

Michael W. Fox – with HSUS 1976-2002, retiring as Senior Scholar, Bioethics

Anthropocentrism, regarding human kind as the very center and pinnacle of existence, is a disease of arrested development.

Speech “A Vision Shared: What We Are Fighting For,” to the World Congress for Animals, Washington, D.C., June 20, 1996.

“We are not superior. There are no clear distinctions between us and animals.

Washingtonian Magazine, February 1990.

The life of an ant and that of my child should be granted equal consideration.

In Inhumane Society, 1990.

The life of an ant and the life of my child should be accorded equal respect.

Associated Press, Jan. 15, 1989.

Human care (of animals) is simply sentimental, sympathetic patronage.

Newsweek interview, 1988.

Man is the most dangerous, destructive, selfish and unethical animal on earth.
Quoted in The Intellectual Activist, Sept. 14, 1983.

The following quotes were made during Goodwin’s time with the Coalition to Abolish the Fur Trade. However, he was working for Wayne Pacelle of the HSUS as early as 1997. (Blunt CEO defends Humane Society from attack dogs, Press-Telegram, (Long Beach, CA), Aug. 25, 2007.) Goodwin has described himself as an “ALF graduate” (Anti-fur groups wage war on mink farms, New York Times, Sept. 2, 1996), and as a “former member” of ALF (“Guerrillas say they fight to help liberate animals; FBI considers group’s members domestic terrorists”, Dallas Morning News, Feb. 15, 1998).

My goal is to become more involved on the political level, to create an animal rights interest group that operates like the NRA [National Rifle Association],” Goodwin says. “I want CAFT to have influence on elections and basically to say animal rights is something you don’t want to mess with.

In Pelted! When an animal rights activist came up against Neiman Marcus, she had more than some dead fur to contend with, by Dan Michalski, Dallas Observer, June 4, 1998. See also Wayne Pacelle on the NRA.)

We have found that civil disobedience and direct action has been powerful in generating massive attention in our communities … and has been very effective in traumatizing our targets.

National Animal Rights Convention ’97, June 27, 1997

We’re ecstatic,” said Goodwin, who believes all living things are equal. “We have no problem with inanimate objects being destroyed so animate objects can survive. We believe life is more valuable than property.

Quoted in “Activists take credit for Sandy fur fire,” by Cala Byram, The Deseret News, Mar. 11, 1997, on learning of a bomb attack that destroyed the Utah Fur Breeders Agricultural Cooperative. A caretaker and his family were asleep in the building at the time.

We’ve started picketing outside the homes of the [department store] executives because these minks on these fur farms never get a chance to go home and relax. Those executives do not deserve a break. They do not deserve to go home and rest.

Speech “No More Fur: Bringing the Fur Industry To Its Knees,” World Congress for Animals, Washington, D.C., June 20, 1996

It’s time for the animal rights movement to take this industry and drive the final nail into the coffin by whatever means it takes. If that means being outside the executives houses, if that means blockading their doors, whatever it takes.

Speech “No More Fur: Bringing the Fur Industry To Its Knees,” World Congress for Animals, Washington, D.C., June 20, 1996

Let it be stated loud and clear, that myself and the Coalition to Abolish the Fur Trade support these actions 100%. We will never, ever, ever work with anyone who helps the FBI stop the A.L.F..

In Fur wars heat up: A.L.F. is on the warpath!” by J.P. Goodwin, on ALF attacks against fur farms, No Compromise, issue 4, 1996

My goal is the abolition of all animal agriculture.

As quoted on AR-Views, an animal rights Internet discussion group

If the feed barn, and processing barns are away from the animals, and downwind, then they could be burned down. Otherwise mink releases are the only way to go.

As quoted on AR-Views, an animal rights Internet discussion group

Don’t breed dogs, don’t buy, don’t even accept giveaways.

Speech, 1991.

Pacelle grew up in New Haven, CT, and began his animal rights activist career by setting up the Student Animal Rights Coalition at Yale University. In 1988 he became executive director of Fund for Animals, joining HSUS in 1994.

Like any kind of sophisticated political operation, you use the best research tools in order to drive your message, but in terms of our policy formulations, I can’t think of a time that we’ve done research…We believe in the Three Rs – reducing the consumption of meat and other animal-based foods; refining the diet by eating products only from methods of production, transport, and slaughter that minimize pain and distress; and replacing meat and other animal-based foods in the diet with plant-based foods.

Posted in a blog, Mar. 30, 2009, and reproduced in “The three R’s of the HSUS agenda,” by Susan Crowell, Farm & Dairy Magazine, Apr. 2, 2009

Our movement needs an NRA-type organization to get the job done,” Pacelle said. “There are lots of gun rights groups, but the one that you hear about and the one that is feared is the NRA.” No, he doesn’t want to run an organization that is only feared. “I’d rather be loved – and feared.

In Career ark of an animal defender, by Carla Hall, Los Angeles Times, July 19, 2008. See also J.P. Goodwin on the NRA.

I want to achieve greater effectiveness and create an even more powerful organization to advance major social changes. … I’ve tried to focus the organization on a few key reforms because I believe the only way we are going to achieve change is by putting enough muscle behind specific campaigns – to change the views of policy-makers, corporate decision-makers, and get issues into the media – and to create a grassroots movement to drive these issues forward. So we’re first focusing on factory farming, the greatest of all animal abuses as measured in terms of animals involved and the duration and acuteness of their suffering.

In an interview with Satya magazine, June 2005

Do we want to see an end to the fur industry? I think HSUS offers the best potential to get us there …

In an interview with Satya magazine, June 2000

The entire animal rights movement in the United States reacted with unfettered glee at the ban in England … We view this act of parliament as one of the most important actions in the history of the animal rights movement. This will energise our efforts to stop hunting with hounds.

Quoted in The Times [London], Dec. 26, 2004

Public opinion surveys demonstrate time and time again that Americans care about the humane treatment of animals and that sentiment is being translated into policy with several major animal protection provisions in the farm bill.

Quoted in “More Than Subsidies in Farm Bill,” by James Henry, for AgriNews Publications, Illinois, Apr. 25, 2002

I find the distinction between animal welfare and animal rights less useful than I once did. The difference between animal welfare and animal rights on a range of issues, such as the use of animals in circuses, fur, rodeo, puppy mills, trapping, and hunting, is a distinction without a difference.

In “Wayne Pacelle, unplugged,” Animals’ Agenda, vol. 14, no. 6, 1994

NOTE: All quotes that follow pre-date Pacelle joining HSUS.

We have no ethical obligation to preserve the different breeds of livestock produced through selective breeding. … One generation and out. We have no problem with the extinction of domestic animals. They are creations of human selective breeding.

Quoted in Animal People, May 1993

When asked, “Do you think that people were once a natural, interactive part of their ecosystems?” Pacelle responded, “Maybe before the invention of agriculture,” he says.

In an interview in January 1992 with Ted Kerasote, subsequently quoted in Kerasote’s book Bloodties: Nature, Culture and the Hunt, p. 253, 1994

When asked, “[W]ould you let people hunt for food if they did it respectfully?” Pacelle responded, “Well, it’s a good question. I think that I would campaign against it. Yes, I think that I would.”

In an interview in January 1992 with Ted Kerasote, subsequently quoted in Kerasote’s book Bloodties: Nature, Culture and the Hunt, p. 254, 1994

When asked, “[A]re you a proponent of endless agriculture for endless people?” Pacelle responded, “Oh, no, no. I don’t believe in the green revolution as a means of feeding the world, and I certainly don’t plan to have children. I take it as a very serious personal responsibility not to put another consumer on this planet.

In an interview in January 1992 with Ted Kerasote, subsequently quoted in Kerasote’s book Bloodties: Nature, Culture and the Hunt, p. 255, 1994.

When asked, “How about pets, Wayne? Would you envision a future with no pets in the world?” Pacelle responded, “If I had my personal view perhaps that might take hold. In fact, I don’t want to see another dog or cat born’.”

In an interview in January 1992 with Ted Kerasote, subsequently quoted in Kerasote’s book Bloodties: Nature, Culture and the Hunt, p. 266, 1994

The definition of obscenity on the newsstands should be extended to many hunting magazines.”

In an interview in January 1992 with Ted Kerasote, subsequently quoted in Kerasote’s book Bloodties: Nature, Culture and the Hunt, p. 266, 1994.

Interviewer: “Where would your organization support black bear hunting – anywhere in the United States?”
Pacelle: “Nowhere.”
Interviewer: “Where does your organization support the hunting of deer – anywhere in the United States?”
Pacelle: “Nowhere.”
Interviewer: “Where, in the United States, does your organization support any hunting of any species?”
Pacelle: “Nowhere.”
Interviewer: “So, the real agenda and goal of Fund for Animals is a total ban on all hunting everywhere?”
Pacelle: “Yes.”

Part of a 1992 debate on WJNO Radio [West Palm Beach, FL], as cited in “Masked bandits after your cash: Humane Society of the United States,” by Glen Wunderlich, Argus-Press [Owosso, MI], Mar. 20, 2011.

If we could shut down all sport hunting in a moment, we would.”
Quoted in “Impassioned Agitator,” Associated Press, Dec. 30, 1991. Doubtless among other publications, this AP article ran in the Kingman Daily Miner (AZ) on the same date. Yet in a June 30, 2009 interview with AgriTalk, Pacelle denied that he ever said this.

Our goal is to get sport hunting in the same category as cock fighting and dog fighting. Our opponents say that hunting is a tradition. We say traditions can change.

Quoted in Bozeman Daily Chronicle, Oct. 8, 1991

Having hunters oversee wildlife … is like having Dracula guard the blood bank.

Quoted in Animal Rights and Welfare, by Jeanne Williams, p127, 1991

Only 7% of Americans are hunters. That means there are more of us than there are of them. It is simply a matter of democracy. The majority rules in a democracy. We are going to use the ballot box and the democratic process to stop all hunting in the United States. … We will take it species by species until all hunting is stopped in California. Then we will take it state by state.”

Interviewed for Full Cry Magazine, “America’s leading tree hound publication,” Oct. 1, 1990

The following quote by Miyun Park was made when she was HSUS’s VP for Farm Animal Issues. She subsequently left HSUS to run Global Animal Partnership.

For all of us, our goal is to reduce the greatest amount of suffering for the greatest number of animals. We don’t want any of these animals to be raised and killed. But when we’re talking about numbers like ‘one million slaughtered in the U.S. in a single hour,’ or ’48 billion killed every year around the world,’ unfortunately we don’t have the luxury of waiting until we have the opportunity to get rid of the entire industry.
And so because of that, a number of organizations including the Humane Society of the United States, we work on promoting veganism, and encouraging people to make daily choices that will positively impact the welfare of animals, and at the same time to reduce the greatest amount of suffering for these animals.
We have a very active cage-free campaign. Are we saying that cage-free eggs are the way to go? No, that’s not what we’re saying. But we’re saying it’s a step in the right direction, getting these birds out of cages so that maybe they can actually spread their wings.

Addressing the 21st Annual International Compassionate Living Festival, Los Angeles, CA, Oct. 6-8, 2006.

The following quote by Paul Shapiro was made during his time with Compassion Over Killing, a group he co-founded. In 2005, Shapiro left to work with HSUS.

… nothing is more important than promoting veganism.

Addressing the National Student Animal Rights Conference, University of California – Berkeley, Oct. 31, 2004.