It is no secret that PeTA (People for the ethical Treatment of Animals) is a radical animal rights group, known for outlandish publicity stunts.

They are supporters of known domestic terrorists, arsonists and other criminals.

They are very in-your-face with their message: ending all animal use.

Very few people in the Internet Age would send them $20 to help rescue a puppy in need... we know their track record on that topic.

When most people hear Humane Society of the United States, they think of the local humane society in their neighborhood that finds loving homes for adoptable pets.

HSUS tries to hide a more sinister ultimate motive: the same mission shared by PeTA, deftly executed by former PeTA executives.

In Anytown, USA, the local humane society (or animal shelter) is a common community staple. Encouraging pet adoption and responsible spaying and neutering practices, these volunteer-driven organizations should be commended for their efforts.

When the well-meaning citizen makes a donation to the Humane Society, they do so with the intention of helping such places. A concern exists over how many of those people are unknowingly making a monetary contribution to a radical, anti-human, lunatic fringe organization that works to end all animal use in our world? The name is the same, but the game couldn't be farther removed.

The fact is that The Humane Society of The United States is allowed to capitalize on their misleading name, duping innocent, balanced-thinking individuals into giving hard earned cash to fund an evil agenda.

While the local "no kill" humane society animal shelters seek to find homes for strays, the HSUS would seek to ban pet ownership outright! How many "puppy and kitty" lovers would be comfortable supporting a group that works to abolish biological research to cure a life-threatening childhood disease? How about one that would ban all leather and fur clothing? Would your average American family support an organization that seeks to outlaw fishing with Grandpa? Would any person with a functioning brain give money to a group whose intent includes removing bacon and eggs from the American breakfast table? How does encouraging puppy adoption co-exist with closing down the cattle industry? Of course, it doesn't.

The Humane Society of the United State (HSUS) is the largest animal rights group in the world, with millions of members and tens of millions of dollars in their annual budgets. Local humane societies date back to the late 1800s and rely on volunteers and donations. The HSUS, founded in 1954, has over 300 paid staff members, does not run any animal shelters in the U.S. and is not affiliated with local county animal shelters. Aided by the confusion their name creates, along with misleading advertisements and shrewdly vague press materials, the HSUS has flourished in membership while falsely gaining political credibility.

Choosing to downplay their true desire to remove all animal ownership, research and products, HSUS has used a soft shoe technique, which has allowed them to infiltrate civic and social offices and even schools with their message. Avoiding the silly antics of PETA or the outright terrorist threats of the Animal Liberation Front, HSUS has presented themselves as all business. (After all, to so many who allow them access, they are just the humane society. The people who find homes for puppies and kittens.) Providing school teachers with class room guides that depict circuses as evil and abusive animal prison environments and hunters as "drunken slob" murderers, the HSUS has reached children as young as five with their demented, unnatural message. Ironically, HSUS has protested the federal governments's distribution of educational materials professing the scientifically sound practice of laboratory animal research as "materials inappropriately targeting young people, who do not possess the cognitive ability to make meaningful decisions regarding highly controversial and complex issues."

With an accumulated fortune well over $100,000,000, the HSUS could conceivably open local animal shelters across the world. According to a report from the Center for Consumer Freedom, "Instead, HSUS spends millions on programs that seek to economically cripple meat and dairy producers; eliminate the use of animals in biomedical research labs; phase out pet breeding, zoos, and circus animal acts; and demonize hunters as crazed lunatics. HSUS spends $2 million each year on travel expenses alone, just keeping its multi-national agenda going. "

Using "Humane Society" in their organization's title is a blatant attempt to pull the wool over the eyes of the unsuspecting and it's criminal. Imagine if the Ku Klux Klan adopted the slightly modified monicker "NAACP of America"? What would happen if Al Qaeda decided to found the "Muscular Dystrophy Association of the World"? Ludicrous, right?

The deceptive practices of the HSUS need to be diligently exposed. A class action lawsuit by all who donated as a result of the false representation would be appropriate. At the very least, full federal investigations into the abuse of proper business practice is necessary.

As local animal shelters across the nation continue to close due to lack of financial support, one must wonder how much cash intended to help was inadvertently supporting HSUS.

Rather than watch as HSUS continues to influence state, local and federal legislation, let us all contact our elected officials and demand a thorough investigation of the conniving Humane Society of the United States.

(Mike Tomano is a radio host in the Chicago area.)