Animal shelters and rescues have grown in popularity in recent years. The US Humane Society reports that there are currently over 3,500 brick and mortar animal shelters and over 10,000 rescue group currently in the United States.
But how did animal shelters begin? We looked at the history of animal shelters around the world.
Early animal shelters
Animal cruelty was first recognized as an issue in the 1820s in Britain. As a response to this, the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA) was founded in 1824. This animal welfare group focused on shifting the perceptions of how dogs were treated.
The SPCA made its way to the United States in 1866. It was started by a man named Henry Burgh who was mocked and ridiculed by many as most were indifferent to the plight of dogs. But, the concept didn’t end there and we saw the SPCA continue to grow.
Just three short years later, in 1869 the first animal shelter is set up by the Women’s SPCA of Pennsylvania. The center is still operational over 150 years later serving as Bucks County PA’s only open-intake shelter and offers adoption, training and veterinary services.
Not long after it was founded, Women’s Animal Center established one of the first humane education programs in America. Generations later, the focus is still on working with youth to build a more compassionate future for animals.
While the early shelters started as a place for horses to go, they have expanded over the years to include dogs, cats, and other small animals. Some rescues even focus on livestock.
Where did the term “the pound” come from?
If you grew up in the 80s you may have had a stuffed animal called a pound puppy. The term the pound was used to describe animal shelters around this time. Animal rescue and welfare was not front and center as it is now and spay/neuter programs were not as popular.
The term, the pound actually came from older agricultural communities. Loose livestock was herded into pens and held until their owners came to collect them – for a fee. Similar to the way car impound lots work now.
What has improved since the early days of sheltering?
In the early days of animal shelters, many more stray animals were euthanized and there was less emphasis on animal welfare and controlling the population.
Today, many shelters employ or consult with trainers who specialize in behavioral training and rehabilitation to help more dogs make it out of the shelter and thrive in a family home.
Today, the use of foster homes is also common. Trained volunteers allow dogs to live in their homes until they find their forever families. Shelters can be loud, chaotic, and stressful places so having somewhere quiet to rest and recover is really helpful for these pups. This is especially true of animals recovering from injuries or abuse.
What are the different types of shelters and how do I choose?
If you are looking for a dog or a place to volunteer, you now have more choices than ever. Some people prefer municipal shelters as they are often open-intake (which means they have to accept any animal that comes through their door) and underfunded or understaffed.
Private shelters often pull dogs from open-intake shelters but if they are full to capacity or have concerns about the ability to find a suitable home for an animal, they may have the right to turn animals away.
Other people may prefer to go to a smaller or breed-specific rescue. For example, if you love Cavalier King Charles, you may want to volunteer with a Cavalier-specific rescue. These groups may pull Cavaliers from shelters or help dogs find a new home if their original owner passes away or becomes too ill to care for them.
Whatever it is you’re looking for there is an opportunity for you to help dogs in shelters or with rescue groups! If you are looking to add a new best friend to your home, you can visit a few shelters and contact rescues – tell them what you are looking for and an adoption coordinator will be able to assist you in your search.
The Ollie blog is devoted to helping pet parents lead healthier lives with their pups. If you want to learn more about our fresh, human-grade food, check out MyOllie.com.
1869: The very first official animal shelter in the country is formed by the Women's SPCA
SPCA
A Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA) is a common name for non-profit animal welfare organizations around the world. The oldest SPCA organization is the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, which was founded in England in 1824.
https://en.wikipedia.org › wiki › Society_for_the_Prevention_...
Then, on April 14, 1869, Caroline Earle White and a group of women activists established what's considered the country's first animal shelter, in Bensalem, Pa., outside of Philadelphia.
Approximately 7.6 million companion animals enter animal shelters nationwide every year. Of those, approximately 3.9 million are dogs and 3.4 million are cats. Each year, approximately 2.7 million animals are euthanized (1.2 million dogs and 1.4 million cats).
However, official search and rescue dogs were not first documented for use until WW1, when military trained dogs were used to locate injured soldiers. During WW2, these dogs were used by the British armed forces to locate people buried under rubble. The history of cadaver dogs is more recent.
Animal cruelty was first recognized as an issue in the 1820s in Britain. As a response to this, the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA) was founded in 1824. This animal welfare group focused on shifting the perceptions of how dogs were treated.
Sources estimate that between 6 and 8 million dogs and cats enter the shelter system every year, and according to USA Today, “it costs U.S. taxpayers approximately $2 billion each year to round up, house, kill and dispose of homeless animals.
“Adopt, Don't Shop” is a slogan meant to raise awareness and discourage the unethical practices used by breeders at puppy mills, and even kitten mills, whose one and only goal is to make a profit at the expense of their animals' safety and health.
The animals also get stressed and anxious from loud noises, unfamiliar smells, and unfamiliar feelings such as cold floors and having nothing to hide in and seeing lots of people and animals.
These animals may have been euthanized due to overcrowding, but may also have been sick, aggressive, injured or suffering from something else. 56 percent of dogs and 71 percent of cats that enter animal shelters are euthanized.
Roughly 6.5 million animals enter shelters each year but only 3.2 million are adopted. There are about 4,000 brick-and-mortar animal shelters in the United States. A little more than 50% of them are no-kill shelters.
The most famous of these rescue dogs was Barry, a Saint Bernard who worked at the Hospice of St. Bernard, a refuge for pilgrims crossing the treacherous passes of the Swiss Alps on their way to Rome. Between 1800 and 1814, Barry saved 40 human lives.
Owner of world's oldest living dog has this advice. Gino, a 22-year-old rescue dog, helped convince the man who adopted him as a college student that pets are a commitment for life.
Search and rescue (SAR) dogs spring into action assisting humans during difficult times. They track people lost in the wilderness or those lost after a natural disaster. SAR dogs find Alzheimer's patients who have wandered away from a care facility.
The oldest archaeological evidence of house construction comes from the famous Oldupai Gorge (also called Olduvai Gorge) site in Tanzania, and the structure is around 1.8 million years old. Nobody knows exactly which proto-human species is responsible for the tools (and houses) found at Oldupai.
Answer: As early as 380,000 BCE, humans were constructing temporary wood huts . Other types of houses existed; these were more frequently campsites in caves or in the open air with little in the way of formal structure. The oldest examples are shelters within caves, followed by houses of wood, straw, and rock.
Pet ownership by the ruling or noble classes has a long history, dating back at least as far as ancient Egyptian times. Murals from this era depict pharaohs keeping companion animals.
Dogs were the first domesticated species, the only animal known to have entered into a domestic relationship with humans during the Pleistocene, and the only large carnivore to have been domesticated.
Introduction: My name is Tyson Zemlak, I am a excited, light, sparkling, super, open, fair, magnificent person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.
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