The holiday season — or what I like to call “the giving season” — is finally upon us (and so is Giving Tuesday on November 28). A lot of people are starting to think about which charities to support and which organizations to give to. I would like to make a case for what I consider the best animal charities.

My list only includes charities that I know best utilize their donations and use them to make the lives of animals better. Something I’ve learned over the years is that the most vocal in-your-face organizations that advertise a lot are not the best organizations to give to. These types of charities often use most of your dollars to line their own nests; they pay themselves money from the donations and use very little to further the cause they are meant to be furthering. Let us never forget that.

If you’re ever in doubt as to the authenticity of a particular charity (including animal charities), you can look them up on the Charity Watch website. It keeps charities honest, and it keeps us — the paying public — well informed.

Read the rest here.