MAILINGS
Posted by STEPHEN LITTLE  |  November 16, 2009 6:26:32 AM

SPEND THE MONEY ON THE ANIMALS, NOT ON MAILINGS AND HIGH CEO SALARIES

Sayres' salary
Posted by mrsmax  |  November 16, 2009 6:25:21 AM

Being compensated nearly half a million dollars to run a charity is absolutely outrageous

fundraising "gifts'
Posted by dgscanlan  |  November 9, 2009 5:54:28 AM

THAT'S IT!!! ASPCA, today I opened up an envelope with yet another free calendar from you. I want to tell you that I pledge that from today forward I will no longer send a dime to any organization that sends me a "gift". I mean, how many address labels do you think people need? I've got enough for about five lifetimes right now. So, a call to all of the nonprofits: ENOUGH ALREADY! I don't need any more address labels, calendars, greeting cards, wrapping paper, photo albums, daily planners...well, hopefully you get the picture. You will no longer get my financial support if this is how it is being spent. Even if these “gifts” are not costing you anything, what an incredible waste! Thinking about the environmental impact of all this crap makes me sick.

Salary of CEO
Posted by Guardian  |  October 20, 2009 11:06:50 AM

I personally work with someone who is way up there in animal rescue and knows many of these people. We def. think that he makes way to much money to be a rescue, the ASPCA of NY only has ONE animal shelter and that's how much money the CEO makes?? You may say well they have ASPCA cops, nope that money comes from the state NOT ASPCA donations. So I will be giving my $20 a month to a local charity that deserves it. If you want my advice that is the BEST way to make a difference, give to local charities buy bags of cat and dog food, toys, crates etc. Then you KNOW what you are giving to.

ceo salary
Posted by treebark  |  August 19, 2009 6:09:52 AM

Ok that salary looks extreme. I will still continue to donate for the animals.

CEO SALARY
Posted by nicoleb  |  August 12, 2009 6:24:25 AM

I was looking for an animal charity to give to. This CEO makes way too much for me?!! How sad is this one?!! Sarah, please find another charity!!!

CEO salary
Posted by guiomar  |  August 11, 2009 6:15:41 AM

Charities, in order to prosper and be able to do their job AND do it in an efficient manner have to be run by an expert hand. Good intentions and open hearts do not a tummy fill. It is a BUSINESS: the set up, the organization, the planification. Salaries have to run accordingly. I wonder how many of those who complain about the CEO's salary wouldn't accept a raise on their own salaries were they working on a charitable corporation. Most people work from 9 to 5 and disconnect from it as soon as they clock out. Professionals on the level of Sayres do sleep, eat and spend holidays with their job. Their minds work 24/7. And, when the results of these brainstormings are as successful as ASPCA is, they deserve their salary. They WORK for it. In fact, Sayres would make twice that on a non-profit environment. As I see things, he is donating 50% of his salary right off. Oh wait...also, on top of being underpaid, his net would be $250,000...since 35% of his gross goes to the IRS, so people who make way less can go on paying a minimum of taxes and complaining about people who work harder and make more.

And no, I don't know Sayres or any other person working at ASPCA. I donate monthly though.

Member
Posted by Redheadfrog  |  May 28, 2009 10:17:50 AM

I don't understand all the complaints. I am an ASPCA guardian (monthly giving). I found the website to be quite user friendly and it is impossible to accidentally opt for monthly giving instead of a one-time donation.

I NEVER receive any type of solicitations for more money or gift offers. Maybe more people should pay attention and deselected "opt in" for receiving such offers.

And I am glad the commercials are heart wrenching because the reality of the way far too many people treat animals is heart wrenching!

Executive Compensation
Posted by Kathleen  |  May 15, 2009 5:56:24 AM

From ASPCA's 2007 Form 990 filed with the IRS. Edwin Sayres (President): $490,315 Stephen Zawistowski (Exec VP Programs: $242,354 Stephen Musso (Exec VP Ops): $252,018 Jonelle Sullivan (SVP Develop/Comms): $202,194 Stephen Eudene (SVP Finance): $201,456

Each are stated to work 40 hours per week.

Response from ASPCA
Posted by JenniferASPCA  |  April 14, 2009 12:24:14 PM

Thank you so much for posting your comments regarding the ASPCA®. The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA®) was the first humane society to be established in North America and is, today, one of the largest in the world. Our organization was founded by Henry Bergh in 1866 on the belief that animals are entitled to kind and respectful treatment at the hands of humans, and must be protected under the law. Headquartered in New York City, the ASPCA® maintains a strong local presence, and with programs that extend our anti-cruelty mission across the country, we are recognized as a national animal welfare organization. Our organization provides local and national leadership in three key areas: caring for pet parents and pets, providing positive outcomes for at-risk animals, and serving victims of animal cruelty. Our members are a vital group who are making a profound impact on the lives of needy animals across the country and we take your concerns seriously. Without your support of our life-saving, life-changing animal welfare programs, we would not be able to do what we do. It is important that our members have a voice in what happens in our organization, and your willingness to post a message is truly appreciated. Due to the large volume of phone calls, mail, and e-mails, it may take a bit of time to personally respond to all your inquiries. As a result, we have a toll-free, 24/7 number at 1-800-628-0028 that you can call regarding your membership requests. Please note that our representatives at this number do not have access to all your information and may not be able to immediately respond to your individual need. In these circumstances, your request may take longer to process as it will be addressed by an experienced staff member. The ASPCA® is more than willing to work with our donors to resolve any issue regarding his or her membership. Please do not hesitate to contact us if there’s anything we can help with.

Great performance deserves compensation
Posted by OK Big Dawg  |  April 3, 2009 6:19:08 AM

If you examine the performance of the ASPCA over the past three years, you will see an increase of revenue of over 33% which equates to $28 million in additional services in 2005 and 2006 to assist animals in need. This type of leadership comes at a price. If those who claim that the salary is excessive, a little research will show that the average salary for non-profits with annual revenue of greater than $13 million make more than $250,000 per year. The ASPCA is a charity with revenues of over $76 million.

Comparing the salary of a CEO of an animal charity that has revenues of $2 million dollars and one that has an annual revenue of over $70 million and assets of over $100 million is not logical or accurate.

Also, the President doesn't "give" himself a raise. The Board of Directors of non-profits determine CEO salaries. I'm sure that he received a raise because of his performance and their fear of loosing this professional to another non-profit willing to pay him even more. It may surprise some folks but some non-profit CEOs receive over $1 million in compensation. I know it's difficult to accept these kinds of salaries when you make less annually than what he received in his raise. But please understand that there is no real difference in running a similarly sized for profit or non-profit organization. You will not find someone with the necessary background and skills to run this size of organization for $100,000 per year.

When trying to decide which group to help please look at the results - not the salaries. The ASPCA is very successful in improving the lives of animals and decreasing animal cruelty in our country.

ASPCA CROOKS!
Posted by animalluvr  |  March 25, 2009 11:07:50 AM

DO NOT, I repeat, DO NOT give these people your hard earned money!I love animals and have always donated money to various causes that assist animals, but never in my life have I been treated so badly by a company I am giving money to. It all started when I was spending time with my niece and we saw that ridiclously misleading commercial the ASPCA has. My niece asked me if we could make a donation and in the spirit of teaching her valuable life skills I told her that we could. She is only five, but she is extremely intelligent. So we went to the website and made what I thought was a one-time donation. What actually happened was we accidentally signed up for a monthly donation (although in my defense the website is not at all user friendly). After I realized the mistake I made I promptly called the number listed. I was told that my account was "too new" and that there was nothing they could do to help me. They said I should call back in three days. So here I am three days later and I am still being told my account is "too new" and to please call back in five days. In the meantime they have already taken the money out of my account so I guess that aspect of it wasn't "too new". The second time I called back I questioned the operator as to why I was getting the run around and she rudely told me it was because I had not given them sufficient time to process my account. What?!?! So I then asked for her name and she told me she could not give it out to people who don't have an account. By this time I was fuming but held my tongue and asked to speak to her manager and she promptly hung up on me! That's right folks, this company hung up on someone who had given them money. They are rude and unappreciative. I am telling my story to let other people know to NOT give these crooks your money! They DON'T deserve a dime! If you want to help animals give a donation to your local shelter.

Commercial
Posted by Kat  |  March 16, 2009 5:53:20 AM

I despise your heart wrenching commercial as does all members of my extended family. Please refrain from further airing.

Let's think about this...
Posted by Dashbastrd  |  March 4, 2009 6:43:52 AM

The "needing to pay talented executives high salaries to attract them" argument works in the for-profit world (though it's worn out its welcome with the egregious benefits given to CEOs of failing companies), but I don't think it entirely applies to charities. Perhaps Sayres job isn't easy, and it is difficult running the ASPCA...but shouldn't the love of helping animals be an intangible compensation that is even more valuable than money? I wouldn't want someone running a charity that is solely interested in "pay for performance" and not in the ideals of the charity itself.

Predatory Practices
Posted by slywlf  |  February 27, 2009 6:48:10 AM

I wouldn't donate to them because they do not operate no-kill shelters, but what's worse is how they treat donors who change their mind.

I have a friend who, during a bad patch was unable to sleep and one night she fell prey to that commercial with the angelic voice and the heart-rending pictures. She made the call, then had second thoughts the next morning. She is on a fixed income, and $18 a month is too steep.

When she told me about what she'd done I also informed her of the kill policy and she determined to cancel her 'subscription'. When she called, the operator gave her a runaround saying that since her account had just been opened she couldn't do anything immediately, but a service rep would call. No call. She called back. They said to be patient and a rep would call. Nothing.

The runaround extended for almost a month! They were able to take the money out of her account by the time she checked with her bank the next morning, but it took almost a month of steadily increasing frustration and anger before they finally put the money back. She informed them that she wanted her information removed from their system and never to contact her again.

So what happened? She got an over-draft notice from her bank this morning - ASPCA had taken another $18 out of her account! She got on the phone and got yet another runaround. This time, if they don't comply swiftly, returning this unauthorized payment AND the overdraft fee it caused she is going to sue. Her health is not good and the stress of highway robbery by this group is making her ill.

Disappointed
Posted by JoeShmo  |  February 23, 2009 6:40:42 AM

At some point in the last year, while the world is imploding financially, this greedy CEO gave himself a pay raise of $27,973.

That's about how much I make a year.

I was about to become a monthly donor today (even though I can barely afford it) because the cause is so worthy and the Sarah McLachlan ads were killing me. But I decided to check here first before going through with it.

It's amazing to me that somehow $393,541 was not enough money for this man. Couldn't quite get by on that? I guess $421,514 sated your thirst for now but I can only imagine that next year you will take even more money .. and continue to ask people like me (who actually have souls) to keep giving their hard earned cash to you.

I have a hard time believing this CEO truly cares about the plight of these unfortunate animals. If his heart was in it and he was the champion of this cause (as he should be) then he would cut his salary to something reasonable (say $150K) and give the rest back to the charity he holds so dear.

Since he does the opposite of that, giving himself raises instead, I won't be donating what little I have.

Administrative Costs
Posted by Bruce Padilla  |  February 18, 2009 12:06:51 PM

I first gave to this organization 3 years ago, and once I gave, I was disappointed when I started receiving address labels, calendars, excessive mailings to solicit money, etc.. If they send that to someone like me, who only gave them $100, I wonder what they spend on big donors... I wanted my money to go to the ANIMALS, not labels and calendars. As a result, I found a charity here in Houston that spends the money where they should, on saving and adopting animals that need homes. That charity is Citizens for Animal Protection, and if you look them up. the executive director makes less than $50k a year.... Their priorities are in the right place and if you look in your own communities, I'm sure there is at least one animal charity that is similar to this one. $500k a year, while a small percentage of funds brought in, is EXCESSIVE for a director, especially if he REALLY cares about animals.... I would think that the person would want to maximize dollars spent on the animals.

CEO
Posted by calquist  |  February 11, 2009 6:46:22 AM

In order for ANY organization to be run properly, they need top management. Top management will leave for elsewhere unless they are paid accordingly. Perhaps they could find someone to work for less money, but the quality of the programs and the organization might take a hit.

ASPCA (Animal Society Pays Chief Astronomically)
Posted by NJLadyLinda  |  February 6, 2009 1:41:45 PM

I can't believe you bleeding hearts who think it's okay for this man to make such an outrageous salary. He deserves it because it's a lot of work? Give me a break! You can play with the statistics all you want, but nothing justifies making that kind of money while heading a "charity." It's absolutely shameful! Let him go to the "profit world"! So until he's gone (or takes a major pay cut), I'll give my money to IFAW or The Humane Society of the United States which are also four-star animal charities, and whose CEOs make 43 and 207K, respectively.

ceo salary
Posted by marje  |  February 6, 2009 10:04:57 AM

I am going to stop my monthly donation due to the high salary of the ceo.

CEO Pay
Posted by Init4thehope  |  February 4, 2009 11:49:01 AM

I will only donate to the ASPCA if the CEO starts taking a lower salary. My hard earned money I decide to donate is for the cause not to line CEO's pockets.

CEO Salary
Posted by Kris in Colorad  |  February 2, 2009 6:49:24 AM

With this new tanking economy, charities may suffer. And any charity paying their CEO over 400,000 dollars needs to keep that in mind. I will donate to ASPCA when the CEO compensation is significantly reduced.

CEO SALARY
Posted by Rhonda  |  January 26, 2009 8:07:46 AM

you know what, I don't care what you do to help animals, giving an exorbitant amount of money to your CEO is a waste of my money. i will from here out give my money to other charities.............IFAW to name just one !!! That way I know a bigger percentage of my money will be going directly to help the animals, not to keep the CEO in the lap of luxury !!!

Great Animal Rescues
Posted by pawprint  |  January 26, 2009 8:03:53 AM

If you're disappointed with where your money is going with the ASPCA please consider giving to these ALL volunteer animal rescues:

strayfromtheheart.org (dogs only)

citycritters.org (mostly cats)

I have personally worked with both and can honestly say they do amazing work with their animals. In fact, big budget rescues like NSALA, Bideawee, and the ASPCA often refer people to them who are looking to surrender a pet when they deem their shelters “full”. Rest assured, their animals still see some of the best vets in Manhattan and since most live in foster care these “homeless” cats and dogs enjoy all the comforts or a real home which is just not possible in a big shelter setting.

Their volunteers also work tirelessly to make sure adoptions are a good match. And if, for any reason, someone does need to return their pet, he or she will be welcomed back and guaranteed care for life.

If you like what you’ve heard so far please visit their websites to learn more about their wonderful work and how you can help.

CEO Salary not the worst part
Posted by Heatherangel  |  January 21, 2009 10:34:34 AM

While I agree that the CEO's salary is outrageous, this is not the worst offense this organization is guilty of. How and where their money is used is far more upsetting. This shelter is located in New York, but the organization advertises in all 50 states and around the world. The ASPCA does excellent work at their facility and for that area, but they do not fund, supply, train, or otherwise help animals or shelter organizations anywhere else. So the teary eyed housewife in Ohio who donates after watching a well produced television commercial, or reading a demographically designed mailer sends her money out of state to a outrageously well funded shelter. Meanwhile that same housewife's local shelter is euthanizing 50 percent of it's intake on arrival because they are unable to fund a larger facility, food and medicine, or community adoption programs. Don't donate to the ASPCA unless you live in New York. Call your local Shelter, Humane Society, or adoption center, that's where your funds are really needed.

Cost of living in NYC justifies CEO salary?
Posted by artbonds  |  January 21, 2009 10:32:52 AM

Then move the non-operational part of the organization (like administration) to cheaper facilities away from NYC (where condo's cost $2 million). There is no real need to stay in the City when cheaper real estate can be had in Nashville or Tacoma or Austin.

SALARY WAY TOO MUCH!!!
Posted by Billy  |  January 16, 2009 6:51:46 AM

I have donated to this charity many times but will not anymore until the CEO's salary is lowered to a reasonable amount (not higher than $150,000)

CEO Salary
Posted by jojoben  |  January 14, 2009 12:11:40 PM

I have to agree with the comments regarding the obscene amount of money the president makes. If you compare other animal charities, the next highest paid CE0/president makes about half as much and several of these charities have higher ratings! These include The Humane Society of The U.S. rated at 63 whose CEO makes $207K, Friends of Animals whose CEO makes $102K or International Fund for Animal Welfare whose CEO makes a whopping $43K!! So there are clearly more efficient ways to donate to help animals. By the way, Sayres makes $421,514 a year. I guess $393,541 was not enough to live on!

Not my dollar for this CEO!
Posted by feral cat's mom  |  January 14, 2009 10:10:26 AM

I just got their literature for donation in the mail,and came to this website to check on the organization before making the donation.

After learning how much CEO makes, I decided not to make any contribution. Some people in this comments section have argued that the living expense in New York is high, and they compare this CEO's salary to that of Wall Street. I don't buy that argument, and I know that kind of salary is extreme even in NY-Wall Street standard (I live in the area and a family member works for the financial industry). If this CEO worked for money, he should work for a for-profit company (at least, that is honest), and I sincerely doubt he could ever find a job in a private sector paying comparatively to his current salary (not to mention all the perks and prestige of a charity CEO). If he really cares about the tragic fate of the animals like "Brutus" that he described in his letter soliciting for my donation, he cannot be paid that much money which could have been spent to save more animals. The letter just doesn't sound genuine now that I know how much he gets paid. I'll never donate any of my dollar to this charity as long as the management get paid this kind of money. Hopefully they'll wake up eventually. Meanwhile, I'll direct my dollars to local animal charities.

Outstanding
Posted by Awesome  |  January 8, 2009 7:03:02 AM

this charity is great I want as many animals to be protected as possible

Non-Profit CEO/Presidents' Salaries
Posted by Jo  |  January 6, 2009 6:51:07 AM

Non-profits are different, or at least they should be. Their should not be any fat cats making this kind of money. For all of you who think $421K is reasonable, PETA is a national organization and their president's salary is $34,000 a year. If you look at PETA's profile, she makes less than others under her at PETA. I'm not saying all non-profit CEO/president's should live in poverty, but $421K is ridiculously high. For that matter, no company, profit or non-profit should be paying executives what they do.

What is wrong with you people????
Posted by Betzabel  |  January 2, 2009 6:47:33 AM

The people that stop donating once they see a CEO's salary obviously aren't too concerned with the animals (or whatever the charity is). The CEO makes less than 1% and though it seems high, the salary is needed to attract a person skilled enough to run this type of organization. You can thank the American society (I mean you)for that, because everyone thinks they are worth so much more than they are paid. If everyone stopped donating because of what they feel about someone's salary, then the poor animals won't get any help. I mean Billy Graham makes like $3 Million dollars and everyone loves him. PLEASE remember what the charity is really for. That's what is important!!!!!

CEO Salary
Posted by bh phila  |  December 31, 2008 9:16:30 AM

Seems like this is the topic of comments, and happens to be my #1 sticking point...

I completely understand and agree with thge idea that the high salaries are needed to attract top talent. I dont have an issue with the charity for shelling out top dollar....

What I DO HAVE an issue with is the actual person for taking that salary. I mean, WHY are they in this industry? Sure, I'm sure they work very hard, and they should be compensated for their hard work. But $400,000?!?! Isn't $90k enough to be compensated? I make over $100k, so I have an idea. But I'm at my job solely to make money. If I took a non-profit job, there's no way I could sleep at night knowing what I'm taking from the charity.

As a result, I will send my $$ elsewhere.

salaries are all relative
Posted by jb89  |  December 31, 2008 9:16:08 AM

I know it is unlikely that those of you who are turned off by the CEO's salary will change your mind, but it is challenging to run a national organization, manage hundred's of employees. CEO's of charities typically work long hours and have to deal with many challenging people and situations. In order to recruit hardworking, honest, intelligent people capable of this, you have to pay them well, or else they would all just go work for the for profit world.

CEO's Salary
Posted by TrueGreen  |  December 27, 2008 1:23:19 AM

It is a very small % of revenues. Also, these charities must resort to advertising and PR to get the attention they need. Most of revenues to to where they should

Outrageous Salary
Posted by Bakers  |  December 23, 2008 3:56:35 AM

I cannot possibly donate my hard earned money to a charity that pays that type of salary. There is no justification to that. (Keep in mind that all his expenses are paid for as well. That's on top of the salary.)

To "I NEED HELP"
Posted by 2cats2dogs1baby  |  December 22, 2008 6:42:26 AM

I had a mailing from PETA on this subject and they seem to be making headway with big name clothing designers. PETA is a little too radical for me but I don't doubt that they are effective.

think twice before you quit a good charity
Posted by 2cats2dogs1baby  |  December 22, 2008 6:42:13 AM

I was curious to see how much this guy makes with the outrage in the messages. $400K/yr in NY is not a Wall Street salary. The modest sized company I work for pays its CEO $10-20Mil per year in North Carolina. THAT is outrageous. If you like what this charity does, please don't let $400K stop you from contributing. I love their cause, their literature and email updates are great. My only other suggestion is support your local SPCA if you want your dollars to impact your own community. I do both because I value the information I get from the ASPCA as well.

I also stopped donating after I saw CEO's salary
Posted by giulietta429  |  December 18, 2008 12:44:52 PM

I used to support ASPCA regularly (and still enjoy watching their program on Animal Planet), but just cannot get over the insanely high salary paid to Sayres. I know it takes a talented person to run an organization such as this effectively, but come on, this is a charity. He cannot expect to make out like the Wall Street CEOs if he works at a charity. This is far more money than I -- or people I know -- make and I don't want my donations to go towards this extraordinarily high salary. Too bad. I do think ASPCA is a good organization.

CEO SALARY
Posted by W H Wilcox  |  December 18, 2008 7:19:30 AM

I have been fairly generous with the ASPCA in past years. Recent reversals in the economy have caused me to look at where I can get the biggest bang for the buck. I wonder how many animals could be given care if Mr. Sayres would accept half the salary of the President of the United States before asking me for a $100 a couple of times a year.

This was a hard one...but...
Posted by J.B.  |  November 24, 2008 8:58:55 AM

At first, I had the same visceral reaction of indignation as many of you in this forum to the high comp. of Mr. Sayres. But upon reading a bit more online: http://www.gothamgazette.com/article/20040202/200/856 (and here--see these: Erik & AdriannaP), it has put it very much in perspecitive. New York is exhorbitantly expensive & it does take a good person to run a good organization. It's a fact that competetive salaries attract good people (think: education crisis vis a vis teacher compensation & attrition rates of the highly qualified). So I guess the real question is this: Is the organization accomplishing the goals it has set for itself and the goals you, as a "shareholder" wish it to address? That question should be the determining factor in giving. Keep an eye on executive salaries, but also on effectiveness as compared to those salaries. It's not like he's a Wall Street exec receiving a golden parachute as his company/employees go down with the plane. So do keep this in perspective, gentle donors. (and no, I do not work for ASPCA or its fundraisers) --Also, to those of you experiencing what you believe are excessive mailings, ask them to cease mailings/donor gifts & let the executive level know your feelings on these topics. Keep in mind, donor gifts DO increase name recognition & inspire people who see them to think about the organization on the "street level". --As for poor fund-raising etiquette (remember these people are outsourced & probably working on commission), definitely inform ASPCA executives directly about such experiences so they can make adjustments if necessary. That's what they're there for, too. --Finally, as for the high profile TV ads & Animal Precinct shows, these, too serve an important purpose. They show people the realities that urban animals face & they give hope & show "alternative endings". We people are simple/forgetful & need to be reminded constantly of the realities beyond our warm & safe homes. Give wisely & God Bless. jb

I need help
Posted by WoodyPB  |  November 20, 2008 10:32:26 AM

I have been donating to ASPCA, but after I found out that the CEO's salary exceeds 421K, I decided not to donate there any longer. I'm looking for the best organization for my cause, which is to help stop China's dog fur farms to skin dogs alive for their fur. What organization is actually working on this issue?

I'm shocked
Posted by WoodyPB  |  November 20, 2008 6:55:36 AM

I've been donating to ASPCA not knowing the CEO's salary. For a non-profit organization, Mr. Sayres salary is too high. I think I will find another organization to donate.

sayres salary
Posted by bonniel  |  November 17, 2008 6:39:10 AM

I agree with all of the people who commented on the exorbitant salary of Mr. Sayres. Also, although I realize that you have to publicize the plight of the animals, The animal planet is an "entertainment show"(if you can call this entertainment) and if the ASPCA is funding the TV program, I would rather support the animals through another organization. I believe the ASPCA should re-think the way it is using its money, especially during these economic times. If not, Mr. Sayres and his ilk may be headed in the same direction as the rest of greedy corporate America - without a job. If he is not donating at least 1/2 of his salary directly to the cause of helping the animals, I think he should. There are many great organizations out there whose CEO isn't taking nearly as much, and they have the plight of unfortunate humans to deal with. As much as I love my animals, there is something wrong with the compensation picture here. Therefore, I am seeking another organization to support, until the CEO compensation becomes more reasonable.

Saving and protecting animals?
Posted by Scooby 21  |  October 21, 2008 11:11:18 AM

What about the Big guy, Sayres and his 421K salary?? How much does he contribute to protect the animals? Talk about your corporate greed!!! I no longer will donate.

what????????
Posted by Sarah Register  |  September 29, 2008 6:17:58 AM

I also am a big animal loving. I was thinking about donating, but now I am going to rethink. I would have thought ASPCA would not be that "salary hungry" or any other charity. It is a shame that people would be that greedy. My daughter-n-law looked up some charitys I have been giving to for years and she found out the same thing. Only a small amount of money goes to the cause. Hundreds of thousands of dollar goes to the people.I don't understand why this charity & others are rated 4 stars?

President's Pay Perspective
Posted by Zzyzx  |  July 2, 2008 6:31:34 AM

I was all hot to trot to donate to the ASPCA but am now a bit concerned.

Lets look put this into some perspective. The president of the united states makes less money a year at 400k. That's 21K less then Sayres. Some people are saying that it's ONLY 0.68% of the total revenue. Ok then, with that logic the federal government collects 2 trillion dollars a year, therefore the president should be making 13.6 billion dollars a year?

It's a shame that if I choose to donate $200.00 it wont even cover the 1 hour pay of Sayers :(

Salaries
Posted by Rigg$  |  July 1, 2008 11:14:21 AM

For everyone else that doesn't like the $400,000 salaries out there, I did some research and found the Michigan Anti-Cruelty Society. They provide refuge to stray, injured, and forgotten animals, and compensate their president, Linda Tuttle, $0. Now that's a true charity. A charity that I can feel good about donating to.

aspca
Posted by kip  |  June 27, 2008 5:51:52 AM

I was interested in the ASPCA monthly donation plan. Then I read all the preceding mail about ASPCA. As a small business (under 250k gross/year) person employing 3 other persons, it is hard. I have 3-4 highly skilled albeit part-time employees that I fund for health and dental and pay all the fed/state taxes for and cover their travel to work. It seems to work. But I think we have to understand that $250-350k for a ceo in the world of business conducted in tall glass clad buildings with exquisitely appointed meeting rooms or hotels that charge $350-1k/night to meet your congressperson, is a neglible sum in the corporate world. (laughter from fortune 500 stage left) Are all the other charity orgs ceo'ed by people working for less? Or is there something unknown, At my income level $10/month is something I must think about. But, someehow in this horrible world of human misery...I want to cough up my small ocntributions to the welfare of small beasts. If anything, I have convinced myself.

Salary and mailings
Posted by Cricket's "MOM"  |  June 16, 2008 7:53:30 AM

Too much of both. No more "free" gifts, just reports on animal care.

It's not just Sayres!
Posted by elizabethb  |  June 16, 2008 7:48:22 AM

Annemarie Lucas makes almost a quarter of a million a year ($250,000) --more than 5X what the real agents make--don't be conned, donate to your LOCAL shelter.

CEO salary
Posted by blue tabby  |  June 11, 2008 5:52:48 AM

I agree.. the CEO salary is just outrageous. And some of the phone service agents are really rude. I changed my credit card that I pay my monthly support with. oh boy... that girl on the other side of the line was terrible. The highe CEO salary and rude service agent almost make me rethink about this organization. However, I know there are wonderful "key persons" in this organization - who actually take care of animals directly e.g.,animal cops, vets, vet tech, etc. So I will keep donating to this organization for the sake of those great people.

The salaries are crazy
Posted by Maddy213  |  June 2, 2008 5:53:21 AM

I definitely agree and think that Sayres' salary is extremely high. I actually work for a PBS station (which is the second non-profit I have worked for), so I know how it is on both sides now. I wouldn't say that it makes it any better seeing it from a different point of view. I think the higher ups working above me make way too much money and then they lay people off because of budget cuts. It's ridiculous. I'm not saying that people working for a non-profit shouldn't be paid for what they do because you can't expect people to all work as volunteers, but let's be fair here. There's being competitive, but then there's being just plain excessive. I think in this case, 400K a year is just plain excessive.

As far as the mailings go --- I happen to work on the mailings for my station and I think every non-profit is the same. They all send out a ton of mail. I can't say that I agree with how many times you mail the same person. Right now we have 4 campaigns a year, plus our monthly renewals. So, in one of our regular campaigns we will mail to someone another 2 times if they don't respond to the first mailing. To me, looking at that from an outsider's point of view, is just plain annoying. Getting another letter two more times is not going to make me want to send money. It's just going to annoy me. But, on the other hand, a lot of these campaigns still bring in money. So, I'm not sure I know what the solution is.

Getting a little off topic here, but don't get me started on television fundraising drives either. Those programs are so outdated it's ridiculous. PBS needs to wake up and realize that people are not going to keep pledging for programs they have seen a billion times over. Eventually that well is going to dry up.

Salary is a slap in the face
Posted by lynnk369  |  May 29, 2008 5:47:09 AM

As a huge animal lover, I have been donating to the ASPCA and others for a number of years. I am VERY disappointed to see that Sayers makes as much as he does. I don't agree with the person that posted that his salary is just a small percentage in comparison to others in the same position at other charities. I donate to a local shelter in NJ that is also a 4 star charity and the head of that charity makes due with about 50K a year. I think the 400K is outrageous. I also agree with the mailings. They are excessive. I hardly have my monthly donation check sent out before I get another mailing asking me to be a guardian! I AM a guardian and have been for years. They need to spend some money on a better system of controlling the mailings. I DO believe that the ASPCA does great work, and donates some of it's money to other shelters in need and I applaud them for sharing their wealth. I'm just not happy with Mr. Sayres salary at all. I don't want the animals to suffer, but I am going to think hard and long before I send next months check in. I think that little NJ shelter may need the $$ more.

salary as a percentage of income
Posted by Adriana P  |  May 16, 2008 6:28:26 AM

Please read this from Charity Navigator's Tips:

"The CEO's salary of my favorite charity seems high, should I make a contribution? While there are certainly some charities that overpay their leaders, Charity Navigator's data shows that those organizations are the minority. Among the charities we've evaluated, the average CEO salary is roughly $147,000. Before you make any judgments about salaries higher or lower than this average, we encourage you to look at CEO compensation as a percentage of total expenses. A charity CEO compensation of $200,000 for an organization spending $20 million per year (1%) probably seems much more reasonable than the same salary for a $1 million organization (20% of expenses for one person). These charities are complex organizations, with multi-million dollar budgets, hundreds of employees, and thousands of constituents. These leaders could inevitably make much more running similarly sized for-profit firms. Furthermore, when making your decision it is important to consider that it takes a certain level of professionalism to effectively run a charity and charities must offer a competitive salary if they want to attract and retain that level of leadership."

Great group
Posted by Adriana P  |  May 16, 2008 6:27:39 AM

The ASPCA gets a lot done. They don't really send me that much stuff, and now that I've asked them to stop I don't get anything. Simply email them and tell them not to send you things (like with any mailing list change, it takes a while to take effect, because mailings are actually processed many weeks in advance.)

CEO pay
Posted by ccarlrn  |  May 12, 2008 5:37:09 AM

I will no longer support an organization that pays a CEO 400K when asking for $25 from me.

CEO Overpaid & Loads of Junk Mail
Posted by george  |  April 28, 2008 5:56:44 AM

This charity is SO important how they help animals. But 2 things concern me:

$400k to run a charity? RIDICULOUS. And if the Pres is making that, then Im sure those closely under him are making huge salaries too.

Secondly- they WASTE ALOT OF $$$ With their mailings.

SERIOUSLY ASPCA- WHY SO MUCH MAIL? Save the $$$ & Do just a few mailings a year.

Put the $$$ towards the animals & charity efforts, not the USPS Mail or Executive's pockets!

THANKS
Posted by RENEE  |  April 25, 2008 6:21:38 AM

I AM SO PROUD OF THIS OGANIZATION. THEY ARE TRUELY MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN THIS WORLD WHERE THE ANIMALS CAN'T DEFEND THEMSELFS. THANKS FOR MAKING A DIFFERENCE.

Humane Farming Society
Posted by arthurs1  |  April 4, 2008 8:01:42 AM

Has a very high rating here and you know how bad things are down on the factory farms so please consider them for a donation.

Art

CEO Salary
Posted by Janet Kalter  |  April 2, 2008 5:42:31 AM

I'm very pleased to see the number of people who are commenting on this same topic. Through resouces like Charity Navigator we now have the opportunity to check out the efficiency rating of the charities to which we contribute. It seems to me, and obviously to others, that Mr. Sayres' income is exceedingly high. We need to know that our contributions are better spent.

mailings
Posted by Eric  |  April 2, 2008 5:42:10 AM

I'm not sure I agree with 17% for getting my money. I gave them $100 in July of 2007, and they have mailed me something EVERY WEEK since. Seriously. Not guessing. Every week!

The cost of the printing and postage has to be $1.00 on average. Some of the stuff comes in big envelopes and all of it is color.

I'm giving to the local humane society.

For what it's worth, I don't think $400k is extravagant to live in NYC. It costs $2,000,000 for a two bedroom condo. Dude probably has a $10000 mortgage, and that is a third of his salary. My mortgage is 25% of my salary. Not out of whack.

CEO Salary
Posted by james022  |  March 31, 2008 5:50:17 AM

400K dollars a year seems ridiculous for the CEO, sfisk?? For a $78 million a year organization, and a position that requires fundraising, organizational and board leadership and strategic abilities, the pay for this position is extremely low!! For a regular company of this size..try a million or more! You have shown you obviously have no real world view on this subject.

paycheck
Posted by jilly  |  March 27, 2008 10:22:51 AM

I agree that $400k seems like a great deal of money but if you look at the % of expenses it's only 0.67% while other charities spend 3% to 6% or more on their president's or CEO's salaries so Mr Sayres is not really getting paid that much when compared to other charities.

SOLICITING
Posted by UKBORN  |  March 18, 2008 5:48:05 AM

I second that! I was a regular giver, but got so much junk and mailings that I felt my money was not being used judicially. No more STUFF!

gifts for members
Posted by ErinGoBragh  |  March 17, 2008 5:43:02 AM

I have been supporting ASPCA for a couple of years now. I am disabled and getting older, so my ability to give a large sum of money does not exist. In the beginning I used to receive things like coffee cups and calculators. This irritates me because that is not how I would want to see the funds I send spent. I would rather not receive any gifts so the money I AM ABLE to send goes toward the animals needs. The only 2 types of gifts I don’t mind receiving because they are useful to me, are the calendars and the address labels, ONLY IF the labels reflect the charity, such as PETA. When I receive their labels, instead of a picture of a puppy on the far left edge, they print PETA. I want people to realize that I support ASPCA and they should consider it as well. However, if I had a choice, I would prefer not to receive anything at all except maybe an efficiency report, an income statement and an expense breakdown.

Thank you for your consideration

Fat Paycheck
Posted by sfisk  |  March 17, 2008 5:41:58 AM

Sooooooo.... Edward J. Sayres, President of ASPCA is payed $393,541 a year? Another charity that does not deserve my hard earned dollars. You don't have to live in poverty Edward, but nearly $400K/yr?????? Ridiculous!!!