When animal lovers learn about the cruelty and killing that are rampant in U.S. shelters, and that national animal protection organizations such as the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS), the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA) and People for the
Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) defend these shelters and thwart efforts at
reform, the first and the most logical question they ask is: Why?