David Martosko’s Center for Consumer Freedom (CCF) is an industry front for tobacco, alcohol, and agribusiness interests, and the group’s stock-in-trade involves taking aim at organizations that promote food safety, public health, or animal welfare (Letters, July 21). Its predecessor organization started with a $600,000 grant from tobacco giant Phillip Morris, and CCF has even attacked Mothers Against Drunk Driving and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for their anti-drunk driving and public health campaigns.

In the pay and in the pocket of corporate special interests that profit from animal cruelty, CCF has always griped about our work to combat factory farming, puppy mills, the Canadian seal slaughter, commercial whaling, and other large-scale cruelties. The Humane Society of the United States has also stood for more than a half century as the nation’s most important advocate for local humane societies. We also maintain our own network of sanctuaries for abused or abandoned animals, serve as the nation’s lead disaster relief agency for animals, give millions in grants to local humane organizations, and operate a veterinary services program that provides no-cost treatments for tens of thousands of dogs and cats in rural regions throughout the country.

Readers can go to humanesociety.org to learn more or to get involved in our work.

Sincerely,

Michael Markarian

Executive Vice President

The Humane Society of the United States