Calling All Gumshoes

Early on at HumaneWatch (was it just six weeks ago?) we let you all know that you've been “deputized” to help us find information. Who’s up for doing a little test run and seeing what we can dig up together?

Your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to learn about something called “Humane Capital, LLC” (or “Humane Capital Partners”). Here’s the low-hanging fruit to get you started:

• Humane Capital LLC is a New York-based venture capital firm.
• Wayne Pacelle bragged in his 2007 annual look-back: “We also established Humane Capital Partners, the first and only animal protection venture capital fund that will invest and grow companies producing humane products and services.”
• The managing partner is a guy named Chris Kerr (full name: William Christopher Kerr). Kerr is also on the board of HumaneUSA, a political action committee run by HSUS. His job title used to be "Director of Private Equities" at HSUS. (That’s him and his wife in the photo at right, marching in the New York City "Veggie Pride" parade.)
• One advisory board member of Humane Capital is Ian Ross, a U-Penn and MIT grad who works with an animal rights group called the Humane Research Council.

Go forth, HumaneWatchers.

Is all of Humane Capital's paperwork filed correctly? What can reports from the Securities and Exchange Commission tell us? Who else is on “the team”? Who’s investing? What is the fund investing in? Is Chris Kerr related to PETA lawyer Jeff Kerr?

Feel free to post your Eureka moments in the comments, or over at Facebook. If you want to participate anonymously, you can use the Drop Box. Or just e-mail us and we'll share your observations with the rest of the class.

Finder of the best info-nugget wins a HumaneWatch poster.

Photo: SuperVegan