The first SPCA in the United States was the
American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA), founded by
Henry Bergh in
New York City in 1866. Two years later, the
Massachusetts Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals was founded in
Boston by a group that included
George Thorndike Angell,
John Quincy Adams II,
Ralph Waldo Emerson,
Henry Saltonstall, and
William Gordon Weld. Examples of other national, nonsheltering humane animal societies include:
American Humane Association, which was founded in 1877 as a network of local organizations to prevent cruelty to children and animals. The
Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) was established in 1954.
National vs. local humane societies Humane societies in the U.S. are independent of similarly named national organizations such as the HSUS or ASPCA. While local organizations are concerned primarily with sheltering, adoption, and
euthanasia of animals, these national organizations coordinate and address broader issues beyond the scope or resources of the smaller, independent groups. The HSUS does not operate, control, or fund local humane societies. It does provide support through grants, training of animal care personnel, standards of care, and evaluation services. The HSUS frequently works with shelters in disaster operations and large-scale animal rescues, assisting in the evaluation, triage, handling, transport and care of rescued animals. The HSUS maintains the animalsheltering.com website for animal care professionals, and publishes a bi-monthly magazine,
Animal Sheltering to which 12,300 shelters and rescue groups subscribe. The HSUS provides national promotion of shelters and animal adoptions, alone or in partnership with other animal protection charities. The Shelter Pet Project is a joint venture of the HSUS,
Maddie's Fund, and the
Ad Council to promote awareness of shelters and encourage adoptions. == See also ==