Why do people donate to animal charities and not human ones?

[DEDEDEDEDEDE]

This is something that constantly annoys me. Recently I went on holiday to Cambridge. There was an animal charity collecting there and a massive line to donate. They were saying don't vote Tory because they killed some badgers. Frankly there are much much much much better reasons to not vote Tory.Of course the election has come and gone now but still people donate to animal charities and not something that will actually benefit humans. Why? Surely you would rather help people in Nepal or wipe out world hunger of help beat cancer? It infuriates me.

 

[Claire Diviner]

Because some animals are vital to a specific ecosystem that can also benefit some people, depending on the environment of course. Take bees for example: They're extremely important for the environment, and their extinction, while it won't lead to human exctintion, will make life much harder on humanity.

Thing is, charities for both the welfare of people and the wildlife are equally important - with 7 billion people on Earth, many donate to human charities while many donate to charities that benefit animals.

 

[DEDEDEDEDEDE]

Because some animals are vital to a specific ecosystem that can also benefit some people, depending on the environment of course. Take bees for example: They're extremely important for the environment, and their extinction, while it won't lead to human exctintion, will make life much harder on humanity.

Thing is, charities for both the welfare of people and the wildlife are equally important - with 7 billion people on Earth, many donate to human charities while many donate to charities that benefit animals.

You barely ever see any bee charities or anything that benefits to the ecosystem. All I see is cats, dogs and badgers.......

 

[Claire Diviner]

I'll leave this here. I'd elaborate more, but I'm at the clinic awaiting an appointment. It's basically a list of animal charities around the world, if that helps.

http://www.animalcharityevaluators.org/recommendations/list-organizations/

 

[FlusteredBat]

Kick dogs, get outrage.
Hit kids, get laughs.

...other than that little compassion inconsistency? People are under the impression that their taxes already go toward the well-being of unfortunate humans, though they're actually just sustaining a growing infestation of pointless bureaucrats.

The government sinks a lot of money into foreign aid. That is to take from the poor of rich countries (in the form of missed opportunities and rising prices) and give to the (politically connected) rich of poor countries. Disregarding direct military oppression, it is impossible for locals to compete with free resources raining from the sky, they are prevented from establishing their own industries and thus remain dependent on handouts. World hunger is not difficult to resolve, the problem is how governments are actively working to uphold this international pissing contest

 

[DEDEDEDEDEDE]

Kick dogs, get outrage.
Hit kids, get laughs.

...other than that little compassion inconsistency? People are under the impression that their taxes already go toward the well-being of unfortunate humans, though they're actually just sustaining a growing infestation of pointless bureaucrats.

The government sinks a lot of money into foreign aid. That is to take from the poor of rich countries (in the form of missed opportunities and rising prices) and give to the (politically connected) rich of poor countries. Disregarding direct military oppression, it is impossible for locals to compete with free resources raining from the sky, they are prevented from establishing their own industries and thus remain dependent on handouts. World hunger is not difficult to resolve, the problem is how governments are actively working to uphold this international pissing contest

Thanks for the link. It was some interesting reading. Can't say I know too much about US politics (being Irish) but I assume the situation is the same in here and the UK?

 

[FlusteredBat]

Thanks for the link. It was some interesting reading. Can't say I know too much about US politics (being Irish) but I assume the situation is the same in here and the UK?

It's similar, although US foreign aid expenditure was approximately double that of the UK back in 2012. Ireland's contributions were minor by comparison (a good thing).

Source: OECD guardian.co.uk

 

[DEDEDEDEDEDE]

It's similar, although US foreign aid expenditure was approximately double that of the UK back in 2012. Ireland's contributions were minor by comparison (a good thing).

Source: OECD guardian.co.uk

Thank you.

 

[kiteinthesky]

People don't donate to animal charities more than they do human ones. The types of charities that get the most money are:

Five types of charities have reached or surpassed all-time high giving levels since the recession ended in mid-2009.

• Giving to Education charities was up 8.9% to $52.07 billion.
• Donations to Human Services charities were up 2.2% to $41.51 billion.
• Foundations saw an increase of 15.5% to $35.74 billion.
• Health charities experienced an increase of 6% to $31.86 billion.
• Charities that focus on the Environment / Animals saw an increase of 7.5% to $9.72 billion.

Both environmental and animal charities combined were given $9.72 billion since mid-2009 while we can see educational, human services, foundations and health charities, all of which focus on human problems, received a whole lot more.

Source: charitynavigator.org

 

[DEDEDEDEDEDE]

People don't donate to animal charities more than they do human ones. The types of charities that get the most money are:



Both environmental and animal charities combined were given $9.72 billion since mid-2009 while we can see educational, human services, foundations and health charities, all of which focus on human problems, received a whole lot more.

Source: charitynavigator.org

But still I think too much money is being pumped into it. I did not say they were getting more money. I just meant they were getting too much.

 

[Elitist]

I believe part of the reason stems from the thought of humans being able to work for themselves naturally, or, be aware of their poverty and do something to actively change it, while animals don't have the advanced tool manipulation, or intelligence we possess. Or, social structure. Or something.

 

[kiteinthesky]

But still I think too much money is being pumped into it. I did not say they were getting more money. I just meant they were getting too much.

No, you said "Of course the election has come and gone now but still people donate to animal charities and not something that will actually benefit humans. Why? Surely you would rather help people in Nepal or wipe out world hunger of help beat cancer? It infuriates me." The title of the thread is "Why do people donate to animal charities and not human ones?"

I was showing you that that's not true at all, in fact the main types of human charities get much more than environmental and animal charities combined, so I don't know where you got that idea in the first place. What makes you think that animal charities get more money than human ones (or even too much in general) when that's clearly not true? Do you disagree with the concept of animal charities in general?

 

[DEDEDEDEDEDE]

No, you said "Of course the election has come and gone now but still people donate to animal charities and not something that will actually benefit humans. Why? Surely you would rather help people in Nepal or wipe out world hunger of help beat cancer? It infuriates me." The title of the thread is "Why do people donate to animal charities and not human ones?"

I was showing you that that's not true at all, in fact the main types of human charities get much more than environmental and animal charities combined, so I don't know where you got that idea in the first place. What makes you think that animal charities get more money than human ones (or even too much in general) when that's clearly not true? Do you disagree with the concept of animal charities in general?

But I mean some people donate to animal charities and don't to human ones. I know quite a few people do donate to mainly human ones but my point is that too much money is getting put in.

I do disagree with the concept yes. They pressurize a lot with ads and stuff and are basically saying that their cause is far more important that other ones.

 

[kiteinthesky]

But I mean some people donate to animal charities and don't to human ones. I know quite a few people do donate to mainly human ones but my point is that too much money is getting put in.

I do disagree with the concept yes. They pressurize a lot with ads and stuff and are basically saying that their cause is far more important that other ones.

In that case you've got to remember that this is all pretty subjective. Other people are going to have different belief systems and priorities and there's no real objective standard that dictates which concern is more important than another. The people who donate to animal charities and not human ones (whom there isn't any real statistical evidence of their existence) clearly have good reason in their minds to do so.

The claim that they're getting "too much money" doesn't really have much basis either since we've seen that human charities get much, much more money than the animal ones do. NASA is getting almost twice as much this year alone as animal and environmental charities have combined since mid-2009, so I don't understand why you think they get "too much money". How much is "too much"?

 

[Brother AJ]

But I mean some people donate to animal charities and don't to human ones. I know quite a few people do donate to mainly human ones but my point is that too much money is getting put in.

I do disagree with the concept yes. They pressurize a lot with ads and stuff and are basically saying that their cause is far more important that other ones.

Apparently any amount given to animal charities is "too much?" What do you have against other animals anyway? What makes humans more deserving of charity?

 

[Soup's On!]

Surely you would rather help people in Nepal or wipe out world hunger of help beat cancer? It infuriates me.

No, they would rather donate to help animals. You need to present some sort of argument for why people should donate to human charities instead of animal charities.

my point is that too much money is getting put in.

But you have not presented anything supporting this. How much money is too much? What do you have to back up that too much money is being put into animal charities?

I do disagree with the concept yes. They pressurize a lot with ads and stuff and are basically saying that their cause is far more important that other ones.

These are not traits necessarily limited to animal charities. Charities are interested in your donation, so of course they will sell their cause as important in order to get a donation. This applies to both human and animal charities.

I'd like to try and make a comparison with Breast Cancer Awareness Month. There is a LOT of money spent on marketing and awareness during October. Many, many products get pink ribbons on them to make us all more than aware of breast cancer and the need to donate to support research and treatment (addendum: and also possibly to encourage us to buy the product to indirectly support the cause, in this case, the pink ribbon is a marketing tool). My question to you is: how do you feel about Breast Cancer Awareness Month? It is a whole lot of pushing and what amounts to advertising regarding a cause.

 

[Chinaux]

I don't understand the question. Everybody I know donates to both humans and animals.

 

[CrackaaJack]

This is something that constantly annoys me. Recently I went on holiday to Cambridge. There was an animal charity collecting there and a massive line to donate. They were saying don't vote Tory because they killed some badgers. Frankly there are much much much much better reasons to not vote Tory.Of course the election has come and gone now but still people donate to animal charities and not something that will actually benefit humans. Why? Surely you would rather help people in Nepal or wipe out world hunger of help beat cancer? It infuriates me.

They think they are helping nature by preventing extinction but in fact are going against nature. There has always been a top predator on the food chain. At one point it was dinosaurs, and now it is humans. it is just a part of nature, whether it is wrong or right is up for you to decide. But I am all for donating to charities to help abused or homeless animals.