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Who We AreThe Humane ExchangeAmerican Humane's BlogOpportunity and ChallengesPosted February 4, 2010 
by George C. Casey, interim president and chief executive officer I’m honored and excited that American Humane’s board of directors has asked me to serve as interim president and chief executive officer while it conducts a national search to find a replacement for Marie Belew Wheatley, who resigned in January. From 2000 to 2007, I was a member of the board of directors, so I’m no stranger to the organization. Both then and now, I’ve been impressed by the commitment and sincerity of American Humane’s personnel pursuing our mission to protect children and animals. Even in the short time since I left the board, the organization has grown dramatically in its accomplishments and in the complexity of its programs. Marie did a wonderful job for American Humane throughout her tenure. She joined the organization at a time when extremely difficult, yet crucial, decisions and actions needed to be taken -- and she took them. She also led the process of ramping up American Humane’s efforts to, once again, make this 133-year-old organization an effective and relevant force in protecting those without voices. Today, American Humane is poised for significant progress across its broad spectrum of programs. In cooperation with the University of Denver’s Graduate School of Social Work, where American Humane has endowed a chair, a variety of innovative and thought-provoking research is being conducted that will impact our understanding of the relationships between people and animals for years to come. In addition, our Children’s Division, Animal Emergency Services and American Humane® Certified programs, to name just a few, continue to resonate with the general public and throughout the world of professionals dedicated to a humane philosophy. As with many not-for-profit organizations, American Humane faces fiscal challenges in this difficult economy, even as demand for our services continues to increase, thus forcing our organization to be continuously more efficient and focused. But we view these challenging times as an opportunity to further strengthen our programs -- as well as our resolve -- to end abuse and neglect of children and animals. No doubt, change is hard. But it’s also a constant with which we must deal -- and it’s one that the organization has successfully dealt with year after year, decade after decade. American Humane is committed to serving its varied constituencies, and I’m convinced that we will continue to grow stronger and prosper during these changing and challenging times.
Submit a comment or question below, or email us. This is not an open forum, but American Humane welcomes all comments and points of view. We will post selected comments that are considerate and thought-provoking, and we may edit comments for brevity, grammar and/or inflammatory language. Comments FormHaiti’s Children: Is Foreign Adoption the Answer?Posted January 28, 2010 How can our hearts and minds deal with the suffering of children directly impacted by the Haiti earthquake on Jan. 12? We have been inundated by the images of total devastation, with entire families and neighborhoods in ruins. Thousands of children died, and tens of thousands of children of all ages appear to be left all on their own, and completely unprotected. Slow but Steady Progress to Help Animals in HaitiPosted January 20, 2010 Have you been watching the constant stream of news coming out of Haiti this past week? It’s been hard not to. I’ll bet that you’re massively concerned for the people and the animals, just as I am. A Message to Our ReadersPosted January 14, 2010 A note to our readers: After six years at the helm of American Humane, Marie Belew Wheatley has resigned as president and CEO. Seven Videos That Make Me SmilePosted January 7, 2010 As I was thinking about a topic for my first blog of 2010, it occurred to me that if there is ever a fitting time for optimism and hope and joy, it’s the start of a new year. Here at American Humane, it’s easy to get caught up in the bad and sad things that can happen to children and animals. After all, that’s our mission: to protect the vulnerable from abuse and neglect. What We Talked About: A Look Back at My Most Popular BlogsPosted December 31, 2009 Many people engage in retrospection this time of year -- looking back at the year’s events and activities -- and I suppose I’m no different. I’ve done 52 blogs this year (this one included), and three in particular stand out in my memory, partly because they drew a lot of comments and sparked some spirited online conversations. It seems that I touched on some very provocative topics: When Children Cannot Be With Their FamiliesPosted December 24, 2009 It’s the time of year for giving, and I recently attended my local CASA organization’s annual fundraising event. CASA in this case stands for court-appointed special advocate. Grieving a PetPosted December 17, 2009 Recently, I got a call from my neighbor, whose dog had died. She was upset and she didn’t know what to do or who to turn to for help and consolation. It’s a Cruel World – Let’s Change ItPosted December 10, 2009 One of our board members sent me a link to an article about a Pennsylvania man who is accused of kicking his girlfriend’s puppy down the street until it was dead. Reportedly, he did not like the puppy or the fact that his girlfriend had acquired it, and walking the puppy was keeping him from watching a football game. What Makes a Hoarder a Hoarder?Posted December 3, 2009 Animal hoarding can pose great difficulties for communities, animal shelters, law enforcement, pet adopters and the animals themselves. This week, I asked Debrah Schnackenberg, vice president of our Animal Protection Division, to be a guest blogger and discuss the psychology of hoarding. Giving ThanksPosted November 25, 2009 My childhood Thanksgivings weren’t about fancy meals so much as setting aside time to “count my blessings.” Call me hokey, but I think it’s still a valuable exercise. My list starts with you -- our donors, collaborators and supporters. It’s not a fundraising line, it’s a fact: We simply couldn’t do anything without you. I’m especially grateful that you came through for us in a year that was financially tough on everyone. Getting It Done HumanelyPosted November 19, 2009 I had lunch the other day with an old college friend I hadn’t seen in years. We opted for Chinese food, and the meal came with the obligatory fortune cookies on a tray with the meal tab. I rarely eat the cookies, but always crack them open to read my fortune. Will Children Benefit From Health Care Reform?Posted November 12, 2009 I first heard Children’s Defense Fund (CDF) Founder and President Marian Wright Edelman speak several years ago while I was with the American Red Cross. I remember thinking, “I would follow that woman anywhere.” Animal Shelters: Under Fire -- and UnderappreciatedPosted November 5, 2009 Our Red Star Animal Emergency Services™ team responded to a request last week that was a first for us. The Shelby County, Tenn., Sheriff’s Office was preparing to execute a search warrant of the City of Memphis Animal Shelter, and needed our help caring for the pets involved. The warrant had been issued after a concerned citizen accused shelter workers of negligence and abuse. Should Parents and Kids Be Scared of Halloween?Posted October 29, 2009 Each year, when Halloween comes around and the news media start running scary stories about the dangers of trick-or-treating, I find myself wondering if times were safer in years past. Are there really more dangers lurking in the shadows now than there were in the “good old days”? |
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George C. Casey
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