The Seattle Humane Society is asking people to think twice before donating to the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals.

Solicitors hired by ASPCA are knocking on doors and approaching people on the street asking for donations to help save shelter pets.

The problem? Donations don’t go to help local shelters, the Bellevue-based Humane Society says.

The Seattle Humane Society is not affiliated with the ASPCA in any way, officials here say. The ASPCA, they add, is a large organization located in New York City and does not provide any financial support to local agencies nor do they provide shelter or adoption services in this area.

Instead, the Seattle Humane Society asks that when people are ready to make a year-end gift for the animals, that they make sure the group they are supporting has a local physical address and not just a post office box. Every donation made to the ASPCA goes out of town, local shelter officials say.

Donations to the Seattle Humane Society can be made online at seattlehumane.org, or by calling 206-373-5382.