American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals
Encyclopedia
The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA) is a non-profit organization
dedicated to preventing cruelty towards animals
. Based in New York City
since its inception in 1866, the organization's mission is "to provide effective means for the prevention of cruelty to animals throughout the United States."
(RSPCA) in the UK
in 1824 (given Royal status in 1840), Henry Bergh
founded the ASPCA on April 10, 1866 in New York City
. It is the oldest, and first animal welfare
organization in the United States
. Buffalo's chapter, founded in 1867, is the second oldest. ASPCA was founded to stop the injustices animals face across the United States. On February 8, 1866, Bergh pleaded on behalf of animals at a meeting at Clinton Hall in New York City. Some of the issues that he discussed at this meeting were cockfighting and the horrors of slaughterhouses. After getting many people to sign his "Declaration of the Rights of Animals," Bergh was able to gain an official charter to incorporate ASPCA on April 10, 1866. On April 19, 1866, the first anti-cruelty law was passed since the founding of ASPCA, and the organization was granted the right to enforce anti-cruelty laws. At that time, there were only three staff members of the ASPCA. In 1867, ASPCA operated its first ambulance for injured horses and advocated various alternatives for inhumane actions towards animals such as horses, live pigeons, cats and dogs. By the time of Bergh's death in 1888, 37 out of the 38 states in the union enacted anti-cruelty laws that were enforced by the ASPCA. Early goals of ASPCA focused on efforts for horses and livestock
, since at the time they were used for a number of activities. Starting at the turn of the 20th century, small animals like cats and dogs became more of a focus for members of ASPCA. ASPCA wrote its first annual report in 1867 when a man was sentenced to ten days in prison for beating a cat to death.
From 1894 to 1994, the ASPCA operated the municipal animal shelter
system in New York City which inevitably euthanized unadopted animals. Starting in 1977, the ASPCA entered into a contract with New York City Department of Health to receive municipal funding to operate the shelter system. This created an effect on being increasingly reliant on governmental contracting and governmental for income rather private donations, and being subject to the effects of yearly city budget appropriations and political whim. In 1993 the ASPCA decided that operating the kill shelter system for New York City conflicted with its mission and discouraged private donations, so the group terminated its contract for operating the shelter system. The agreement for operation of the Humane Law Enforcement Division remained unchanged by this action. Operation of the shelter system was transferred to Center for Animal Care and Control
in 1995.
under ASPCA were created in 1912. Since the creation of these hospitals, ASPCA found a new tactic in improving their cause. ASPCA since have been able to develop various medical procedures and innovations with help from new discoveries in medicine and technology. Some of these procedures and innovations include the following:
(24 hour animal poison control line requires $65 dollar payment by credit card)
making landfall in Louisiana on September 1, 2008, the ASPCA checked in more than 800 animals into a shelter located in Shreveport. The ASPCA, along with the American Humane Association
, maintained a 24 hour presence at the shelter.
The ASPCA works primarily with companion animal
issues, such as pet care, equine or horse cruelty issues, and animal cruelty and neglect. Their programs and services include: a national poison control
hotline for pet owners and animal health professionals; a shelter
outreach program to promote best practices within locally owned shelters, a corporate partner program to promote animal-friendly products and services, and a special anti-cruelty initiative to teach animal welfare education and animal welfare
law enforcement practices (known as "humane law enforcement" within the organization) across the United States. In the state of New York
, the ASPCA's Humane Law Enforcement division
has powers to investigate cruelty and enforce laws. The Humane Law Enforcement division has been featured on the Animal Planet
television program, Animal Precinct
.
Additionally, the ASPCA provides relief services for the domestic animal victims of natural disaster
s such as Hurricane Katrina
, where the National Outreach department collected donations to provide supplies; coordinated volunteer efforts; deployed rescue teams to recover abandoned pets
; provided temporary shelter to displaced animals; and reunited pets with their owners.
for animal welfare legislation, with regional and federal lobbyists covering all 50 states. The ASPCA communicates with federal and state legislators to consider animal-friendly legislation and bills. The ASPCA also drafts animal welfare legislation initiatives and proposals for legislators to consider during their sessions. The ASPCA's "Advocacy Brigade" allows users to write or e-mail their legislators on important animal legislation bills and referendums.
In 2008, the Illinois Senate passed the bill HB 5076. This bill contains various "Good Samaritan" provisions that protect rescuers from being sued if they rescue and provide for an injured animal in disasters or other emergencies. This bill also brings clarification to the Humane Care for Animals Act.
that lived in the Bronx. Brian McCafferty was charged with torturing and injuring his wife's beagle, Jerry, after an argument with his wife. The ASPCA conducted an necropsy that concluded that Jerry was stabbed twice and shot in the neck with a rifle. McCafferty claims that he was acting in self-defense when the dog attacked him. He was eventually released on bail.
Non-profit organization
Nonprofit organization is neither a legal nor technical definition but generally refers to an organization that uses surplus revenues to achieve its goals, rather than distributing them as profit or dividends...
dedicated to preventing cruelty towards animals
Cruelty to animals
Cruelty to animals, also called animal abuse or animal neglect, is the infliction of suffering or harm upon non-human animals, for purposes other than self-defense. More narrowly, it can be harm for specific gain, such as killing animals for food or for their fur, although opinions differ with...
. Based in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
since its inception in 1866, the organization's mission is "to provide effective means for the prevention of cruelty to animals throughout the United States."
History
Following the creation of the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to AnimalsRoyal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals
The Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals is a charity in England and Wales that promotes animal welfare. In 2009 the RSPCA investigated 141,280 cruelty complaints and collected and rescued 135,293 animals...
(RSPCA) in the UK
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
in 1824 (given Royal status in 1840), Henry Bergh
Henry Bergh
Henry Bergh founded the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals in April, 1866, three days after the first effective legislation against animal cruelty in the United States was passed into law by the New York State Legislature...
founded the ASPCA on April 10, 1866 in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
. It is the oldest, and first animal welfare
Animal welfare
Animal welfare is the physical and psychological well-being of animals.The term animal welfare can also mean human concern for animal welfare or a position in a debate on animal ethics and animal rights...
organization in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. Buffalo's chapter, founded in 1867, is the second oldest. ASPCA was founded to stop the injustices animals face across the United States. On February 8, 1866, Bergh pleaded on behalf of animals at a meeting at Clinton Hall in New York City. Some of the issues that he discussed at this meeting were cockfighting and the horrors of slaughterhouses. After getting many people to sign his "Declaration of the Rights of Animals," Bergh was able to gain an official charter to incorporate ASPCA on April 10, 1866. On April 19, 1866, the first anti-cruelty law was passed since the founding of ASPCA, and the organization was granted the right to enforce anti-cruelty laws. At that time, there were only three staff members of the ASPCA. In 1867, ASPCA operated its first ambulance for injured horses and advocated various alternatives for inhumane actions towards animals such as horses, live pigeons, cats and dogs. By the time of Bergh's death in 1888, 37 out of the 38 states in the union enacted anti-cruelty laws that were enforced by the ASPCA. Early goals of ASPCA focused on efforts for horses and livestock
Livestock
Livestock refers to one or more domesticated animals raised in an agricultural setting to produce commodities such as food, fiber and labor. The term "livestock" as used in this article does not include poultry or farmed fish; however the inclusion of these, especially poultry, within the meaning...
, since at the time they were used for a number of activities. Starting at the turn of the 20th century, small animals like cats and dogs became more of a focus for members of ASPCA. ASPCA wrote its first annual report in 1867 when a man was sentenced to ten days in prison for beating a cat to death.
From 1894 to 1994, the ASPCA operated the municipal animal shelter
Animal shelter
An animal shelter is a facility that houses homeless, lost, or abandoned animals; primarily a large variety of dogs and cats.Parrots, for example, are the third most common pet owned by people...
system in New York City which inevitably euthanized unadopted animals. Starting in 1977, the ASPCA entered into a contract with New York City Department of Health to receive municipal funding to operate the shelter system. This created an effect on being increasingly reliant on governmental contracting and governmental for income rather private donations, and being subject to the effects of yearly city budget appropriations and political whim. In 1993 the ASPCA decided that operating the kill shelter system for New York City conflicted with its mission and discouraged private donations, so the group terminated its contract for operating the shelter system. The agreement for operation of the Humane Law Enforcement Division remained unchanged by this action. Operation of the shelter system was transferred to Center for Animal Care and Control
Center for Animal Care and Control
Animal Care & Control of New York City , formerly known as The Center for Animal Care and Control , is the operator of New York City's municipal shelter system. It is registered as a 5013 not-for-profit organization but receives the majority of its income as grants from New York City Department of...
in 1995.
Medicine for animals under ASPCA
One of the early goals of ASPCA was to improve the health and welfare of animals. The first animal hospitalsVeterinary medicine
Veterinary Medicine is the branch of science that deals with the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of disease, disorder and injury in non-human animals...
under ASPCA were created in 1912. Since the creation of these hospitals, ASPCA found a new tactic in improving their cause. ASPCA since have been able to develop various medical procedures and innovations with help from new discoveries in medicine and technology. Some of these procedures and innovations include the following:
- In 1918, ASPCA veterinarians developed the use of anesthesia and as a result were able to work on a horse with a broken kneecap
- In 1954, ASPCA hospitals added pathology and radiography laboratories and programs
- In 1961, ASPCA veterinarians performed their first open-heart surgery on a dog
Resources for pets and parents
This initiative is designed to assist individuals' care for their animals in a proper and ethical way. Some services offered to assist individuals are:- A 24-hour Animal Poison Control Line
- Free expert training and behavior advice
- A dedicated staff of veterinarians ready to provide high-quality medical care
- ASPCA mobile spay/neuter clinics that serve low-income communities throughout New York City
- Pet loss support services for those who are grieving
(24 hour animal poison control line requires $65 dollar payment by credit card)
Positive outcomes for at-risk animals
This program is designed as an initiative to take steps to take care and provide for at-risk animals around the country. Some programs designed to help at-risk animals include:- The ASPCA Mission: Orange Initiative: An invitation of key cities across the United States to join ASPCA in ending the unnecessary euthanasia of adoptable pets.
- Creating plans for animals in times of emergency by ASPCA experts
- An 8000 square feet (743.2 m²) state-of-the-art adoption facility in New York City
- ASPCA Meet Your Match, a research-based matching system to match animals with the best homes.
- Helping at-risk horses with the ASPCA Equine Fund
Other efforts
Aside from rescuing animals, the ASPCA is also involved with disaster preparedness and management. For instance, prior to Hurricane GustavHurricane Gustav
The name Gustav has been used for five tropical cyclones in the Atlantic Ocean:* 1984's Tropical Storm Gustav - Spent most of its existence as a tropical depression hovering over Bermuda, no major damage was reported....
making landfall in Louisiana on September 1, 2008, the ASPCA checked in more than 800 animals into a shelter located in Shreveport. The ASPCA, along with the American Humane Association
American Humane Association
The American Humane Association is an organization founded in 1877 dedicated to the welfare of animals and children.The AHA's Film and Television Unit has monitored the welfare of animals during the production of films and television programs since 1940. They are the source of the familiar...
, maintained a 24 hour presence at the shelter.
Pet
A pet is a household animal kept for companionship and a person's enjoyment, as opposed to wild animals or to livestock, laboratory animals, working animals or sport animals, which are kept for economic or productive reasons. The most popular pets are noted for their loyal or playful...
issues, such as pet care, equine or horse cruelty issues, and animal cruelty and neglect. Their programs and services include: a national poison control
Poison control center
A poison control center is a medical facility that is able to provide immediate, free, and expert treatment advice and assistance over the telephone in case of exposure to poisonous or hazardous substances...
hotline for pet owners and animal health professionals; a shelter
Animal shelter
An animal shelter is a facility that houses homeless, lost, or abandoned animals; primarily a large variety of dogs and cats.Parrots, for example, are the third most common pet owned by people...
outreach program to promote best practices within locally owned shelters, a corporate partner program to promote animal-friendly products and services, and a special anti-cruelty initiative to teach animal welfare education and animal welfare
Animal welfare
Animal welfare is the physical and psychological well-being of animals.The term animal welfare can also mean human concern for animal welfare or a position in a debate on animal ethics and animal rights...
law enforcement practices (known as "humane law enforcement" within the organization) across the United States. In the state of New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
, the ASPCA's Humane Law Enforcement division
ASPCA Humane Law Enforcement Division
The ASPCA Humane Law Enforcement Division is the law enforcement arm of the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals...
has powers to investigate cruelty and enforce laws. The Humane Law Enforcement division has been featured on the Animal Planet
Animal Planet
Animal Planet is an American cable tv specialty channel that launched on October 1, 1996. It is distributed by Discovery Communications. A high-definition simulcast of the channel launched on September 1, 2007.-History:...
television program, Animal Precinct
Animal Precinct
Animal Precinct is an American documentary reality television series that originally aired from June 26, 2001, to February 4, 2008, on Animal Planet...
.
Additionally, the ASPCA provides relief services for the domestic animal victims of natural disaster
Natural disaster
A natural disaster is the effect of a natural hazard . It leads to financial, environmental or human losses...
s such as Hurricane Katrina
Hurricane Katrina
Hurricane Katrina of the 2005 Atlantic hurricane season was a powerful Atlantic hurricane. It is the costliest natural disaster, as well as one of the five deadliest hurricanes, in the history of the United States. Among recorded Atlantic hurricanes, it was the sixth strongest overall...
, where the National Outreach department collected donations to provide supplies; coordinated volunteer efforts; deployed rescue teams to recover abandoned pets
Abandoned pets
Abandoned pets are pets that are, for instance, left behind when a home goes into foreclosure or their owner passes away. These animals can be left alone on the property or dropped off at a shelter. While some are left in a shelter, they are typically discovered after the foreclosure process when...
; provided temporary shelter to displaced animals; and reunited pets with their owners.
ASPCA and legislation
The ASPCA is very active in lobbyingLobbying
Lobbying is the act of attempting to influence decisions made by officials in the government, most often legislators or members of regulatory agencies. Lobbying is done by various people or groups, from private-sector individuals or corporations, fellow legislators or government officials, or...
for animal welfare legislation, with regional and federal lobbyists covering all 50 states. The ASPCA communicates with federal and state legislators to consider animal-friendly legislation and bills. The ASPCA also drafts animal welfare legislation initiatives and proposals for legislators to consider during their sessions. The ASPCA's "Advocacy Brigade" allows users to write or e-mail their legislators on important animal legislation bills and referendums.
In 2008, the Illinois Senate passed the bill HB 5076. This bill contains various "Good Samaritan" provisions that protect rescuers from being sued if they rescue and provide for an injured animal in disasters or other emergencies. This bill also brings clarification to the Humane Care for Animals Act.
Celebrations and events
- ASPCA celebrates Adopt-a-Shelter-Dog each October. With this celebration, ASPCA holds various events and programs and by using methods like recruiting and asking potential pet owners to adopt one of the more than one million animals living in shelters across the country.
- The organization celebrates ASPCA Day on April 10 each year. This celebration encourages supporters to wear orange to commemorate the protection of animals. Orange is the official color of the ASPCA. In 2008, the X-Brothers performed at the Annual ASPCA Day. At ASPCA Day, ASPCA members spread their message through use of mobile adoption vans, photo booths for pets, information booths on animal cruelty laws and ways to care for pets and a multitude of other resources.
ASPCA in the news
Cases involving torture, killings and mistreatment of animals are some examples of cases handled by the ASPCA. A common example was displayed in the news in October 2008, when the ASPCA was in charge of an investigation involving the slaughtering of a beagleBeagle
The Beagle is a breed of small to medium-sized dog. A member of the Hound Group, it is similar in appearance to the Foxhound, but smaller, with shorter legs and longer, softer ears. Beagles are scent hounds, developed primarily for tracking hare, rabbit, and other game...
that lived in the Bronx. Brian McCafferty was charged with torturing and injuring his wife's beagle, Jerry, after an argument with his wife. The ASPCA conducted an necropsy that concluded that Jerry was stabbed twice and shot in the neck with a rifle. McCafferty claims that he was acting in self-defense when the dog attacked him. He was eventually released on bail.
See also
- Humane Society of the United StatesHumane Society of the United StatesThe Humane Society of the United States , based in Washington, D.C., is the largest animal advocacy organization in the world. In 2009, HSUS reported assets of over US$160 million....
- List of law enforcement agencies in New York
- People for the Ethical Treatment of AnimalsPeople for the Ethical Treatment of AnimalsPeople for the Ethical Treatment of Animals is an American animal rights organization based in Norfolk, Virginia, and led by Ingrid Newkirk, its international president. A non-profit corporation with 300 employees and two million members and supporters, it claims to be the largest animal rights...