Hopefully you’ll soon be entering your charitable deductions on your federal tax return for your generosity in 2009, but what about your future donations?  One of the questions we are frequently asked is, “What charities do you donate to?” To help jumpstart your 2010 giving, we thought we’d share a little secret with you.

One of our requirements is that the organization adheres to a cruelty-free commitment and a policy that pledges that their research, services, experiments, and funding does not support any animal experimentation.

Thankfully, the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine (PCRM) maintains an online list of organizations that vow to support cruelty-free research, earning them the “Humane Charity Seal.”

The site offers a print friendly version of the list or you can order a printed booklet to keep with you. Go check out the full list, or use their search feature to see if your favorite charity is listed. The list also highlights charities that continue to fund animal experiments. They maintain a great news and analysis section that will keep you current on the latest efforts to end animal experimentation.

At the end of the day, it is your money and you have a right to know exactly what that money is funding. Take a proactive step in your charitable donations and make the charities accountable for their actions.

Consider this: We always see our charitable donations as signatures of approval of the actions of the charity. Are the actions of your chosen charity worthy of said approval and support? Take action with your donations, or give silent consent to the cruelty conducted in your name.

Links to Chew On:

• More Trends and Info. on Humane Giving
• Factsheets and sample letters to help you
• Improving Military Medicine
• Humane Giving on Facebook