The Anti-Cruelty Society is a Chicago-based non-profit organization that specializes in animal welfare and community education on proper animal care. The purpose of the organization is to provide adoption services as well as veterinarian services.[1] The Anti-Cruelty Society has several locations throughout Chicagoland, each of which provide different services related to animal wellbeing. As of February 2019, the society’s current president is Tracy Elliot.[2]
Mission
editThe Anti-Cruelty Society’s mission statement is “to build a community of caring by helping pets and educating people”[3] Through a wide range of educational pet ownership programs and animal relief efforts, the Anti-Cruelty Society seeks to provide homes for all destitute animals capable of being adopted. Animals are sheltered by the society only if they meet the specific criteria of being previously owned/or previously having an owner. [4]
History
edit1899-1911
editRosa Fay Thomas founded the Anti-Cruelty Society on January 19, 1899 in Chicago and was elected first acting president, upon the belief that society had an obligation to care and raise awareness for animals living in cruel conditions. [5] Its first shelter for small animals opened in 1904. The Anti-Cruelty Society’s first campaign to eliminate animal mistreatment/provide better care for animals involved improving the living and working conditions of workhorses in the city of Chicago in 1905. Early goals of the foundation concentrated on endeavors for workhorses, livestock, and small animals. For a short time, in addition to animal welfare, the Anti-Cruelty Society focused its efforts on child welfare cases. In 1906, the State of Illinois allotted a charter to the Anti-Cruelty Society to ensure the welfare of both animal and child welfare. During this time, the Anti-Cruelty Society adopted (implemented?) its first humane education movement to provide basic access to literature and lectures.
1911-1949
editThe demand for services provided by the Anti-Cruelty Society grew exponentially during the Great Depression.
The Anti-cruelty society runs only through the funds that are donated to them. [6] The Anti-cruelty society started after Rosa saw the mistreatment of horses. One of their first acts of business was putting up drinking fountains for the horses.[7]
1950-2000
editIn 1976 the Anti-Cruelty Society began the volunteer program that is still open available today.[8]
The Anti-Cruelty Society's Mobile Vaccination Clinic began in 1986 offering free exams and vaccinations for cats and dogs to the disadvantaged neighborhoods in Chicago.[9]
2001-2010
editAs of 2004 the society stopped accepting stray dogs and cats into their shelters.
As of 2010 The Anti-Cruelty Society has been using the services provided by Petpoint Data Management System, run by PetHealth. They provide inventory on adoptable cats and dogs which can help keep track of animal populations and facilitates the adoption processes. This service is provided for free to non-profit animal organizations and when an animal is adopted they provide a trackable chip.
2011-2020
editIn the pandemic of 2020, with a grant from PetSmart Charities, the Anti-Cruelty Society offered supplies of pet food to families affected by Covid-19.[10] The Anti-cruelty Society also expanded the "Friends Who Care" program to help pet owners receive veterinarian services for their pets.[10]
Before Illinois' stay-at-home order in March 2020, the Anti-Cruelty Society urged people to Foster animals because of an influx of pets and a limit of space in the shelters.[11]
Earlier in 2014, Chicago's Alderman passed the Anti-Puppy Mill Ordinance 49-1, which did not allow dogs, cats and other animals to be sheltered if they came from large-scale breeding operations. This helps to prevent the animals that are in current shelters to be forgotten about; sales on animals made by breeders often get sold in pet shops which leaves animals in shelters, who are usually mixed breeds and older to be overlooked. [12]
Services
editAdoption
editThe vice president of the Anti-Cruelty Society, Peggy Froh Asseo, listed 6,000 animals that were adopted in 2004. The same year, they also implemented their new "no kill" policy expecting their number of adoptions to raise up to 8,000.[13]
The Anti-Cruelty Society has a yearly event, "Clear The Shelter", where the adoption fees are waived and all their pets are up to date in vaccines. [14]
With the Covid-19 pandemic being expanded through the end of April 2020 the Anti-Cruelty Society moved their adoption services online.[15]
References
edit- ^ "About Us". The Anti-Cruelty Society. Retrieved 2020-03-11.
- ^ "Tracy Elliott". The Anti-Cruelty Society. Retrieved 2020-03-11.
- ^ "Mission, Vision, Values". The Anti-Cruelty Society. Retrieved 2020-04-17.
- ^ reporter, H. Gregory Meyer, Tribune staff. "Strays no longer welcome at Anti-Cruelty Society". chicagotribune.com. Retrieved 2020-04-17.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) - ^ "Rose Fay Thomas". Glessner House. Retrieved 2020-04-17.
- ^ "The Anti Cruelty Society - True Chicago History!". Retrieved 2020-03-11.
- ^ reporter, H. Gregory Meyer, Tribune staff. "Strays no longer welcome at Anti-Cruelty Society". chicagotribune.com. Retrieved 2020-04-13.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) - ^ "Eisenhower students volunteer at Anti-Cruelty Society". Oak Lawn, IL Patch. 2019-12-19. Retrieved 2020-04-24.
- ^ Writer, Mary Daniels, Tribune Staff. "FREE EXAMS, SHOTS FOR PETS". chicagotribune.com. Retrieved 2020-04-24.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) - ^ a b "Anti-Cruelty Society offering food, provisions to pet owners in need during pandemic". WGN-TV. 2020-03-31. Retrieved 2020-04-24.
- ^ "Chicago Animal Shelters in Need of Space Plead with Public to Foster". WTTW News. Retrieved 2020-04-24.
- ^ Dardick, By Mitch Smith and Hal. "Chicago aldermen pass anti-puppy mill ordinance 49-1". chicagotribune.com. Retrieved 2020-04-24.
- ^ "Chicago shelter to stop euthanizing strays to focus on adoption efforts". The Associated Press State & Local Wire. September 5, 2004.
{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ^ "Chicago's Anti-Cruelty Society Prepares For 'Clear the Shelters'". NBC Chicago. Retrieved 2020-04-24.
- ^ "Chicago Animal Shelters Take Adoptions Online During Pandemic". WTTW News. Retrieved 2020-04-24.