Associated Humane Societies history

1910 American Humane joined in partnership with local police forces to prevent the abuse of workhorses and assist in cruelty investigations.

1913 American Humane's quarterly magazine, The National Humane Review, was published for the first time.

1915 American Humane initiated Be Kind to Animals Week® and launched a national poster contest for children.

1916 The United States Secretary of War invited American Humane “to undertake the work of doing for Army animals what the American Red Cross is doing for soldiers.” American Humane created American Red Star Animal Relief to rescue wounded horses on the battlefields of World War I.

1920 After the war, the Red Star program turned its attention to rescuing animals caught in disaster areas, and provided money to purchase feed that saves thousands of elk in Yellowstone National Park from starving to death.

1925 American Humane set up a committee to investigate cruelties in the training of animals for the movies.

1931 American Humane approved a set of standards for child protection societies, which urged them to maintain the privacy rights of the children and adults they serve and to employ professional caseworkers.

1933 American Humane launched a campaign to end the practice of giving children dyed chicks as Easter gifts.

1935 American Humane urged the Federal Bureau of Biological Survey to discontinue the use of poison in the control of predatory animals.

1937 The Mississippi River flooded and American Humane's Red Star Animal Relief helped rescue and feed stranded farm animals.

1941 American Humane established standards of operation for animal protection societies.

1943 The National Education Association and American Humane launched a campaign asking teachers throughout the United States to refrain from any kind of hatred in education and to protect children from racial or religious taunts.

1947 American Humane started training programs for professional in humane fields.

1951 American Humane’s Western Regional Office created a “stamp of approval” awarded to films committed to humane practices in filming animals.

1954 As American Humane’s influences grew nationwide, it moved its headquarters from Albany, N.Y. to Denver.

1956 Vincent De Francis, director of Children’s Services at American Humane, published the results of the first national inventory of child protective services, which provided comprehensive report of the state of child welfare practice in the United States.

1959 The Royal SPCA in England and American Humane formed the International Society for the Protection of Animals.

1961 American Humane published Protective Services and Community Expectations by Vincent De Francis, which set the stage for community engagement in child protection.

1966 The Supreme Court disbanded the Hays Office, which gave American Humane its jurisdiction on movie sets.

Bernstein, who was a Newark City Councilman and AHS Board of Trustees member, voted to significantly increase the animal control contract fee Newark paid to AHS in 1968.

1970 American Humane tackled pet overpopulation, suggesting that owners spay or neuter their animals.

1973 The children’s television show Romper Room promoted Be Kind to Animals Week.

1976 With a grant from the United States Department of Health and Human Services, American Humane began its National Study on Child Neglect and Abuse reporting in every state, collecting and analyzing child abuse reports to determine their characteristics.

Established in 1977, Popcorn Park is a sanctuary for abandoned, injured, ill, exploited, abused, or elderly — farm animals, birds, and wildlife (domestic and exotic).

1979 American Humane published its third nationwide survey of child protective services.

1981 American Humane celebrated its first annual Adopt-A-Dog Month®, to encourage the adoption of dogs from local animal shelters.

1984 The first issue of American Humane’s journal child welfare professionals, Protecting Children, is published.

1987 The United States Department of Health and Human Services designated American Humane the National Resource Center on Child Abuse and Neglect, which provided leadership, resources, and training to the child welfare field.

1989 The Meacham Foundation Memorial Grant allowed American Humane to being awarding grants to shelters to provide financial assistance for building expansion or improvements that directly impact the welfare of animals.

In honor of the 75th anniversary of Be Kind to Animals Week, Congress passed a resolution declaring May 6-12, 1990 Be Kind to Animals and National Pet Week.

1994 American Humane was a founding member of the National Council on Pet Population Study and Policy, which gathered data on pets in the United States to help reduce the number of homeless pets.

1997 American Humane launched The Front Porch Project® to directly involve community members in child protection.

1999 American Humane’s first Tag Day™ was celebrated to help lost pets get reunited with owners.

2001 After terrorists attacked the Pentagon and the World Trade Center, American Humane’s Red Star® Animal Emergency Services delivered supplies and equipment to New York City and provided medical examinations, care and decontamination for search-and-rescue dogs.

In 2003, the State of New Jersey Commission of Investigation (“SCI”) issued a scathing report on AHS. Some of the report’s key findings were as follows:

2006 American Humane hosted its first differential response conference.

Finally, Roseann Trezza showed her true colors when AHS published a glowing memorial article on Lee Bernstein in a 2008 issue of the Humane News.

New Jersey Department of Health inspectors found horrific problems at AHS in 2009.

2010 Along with other animal welfare organizations, American Humane joined the Animal Relief Coalition for Haiti to provide funding and emergency response services for animals affected by the earthquake.

In 2011, the former Mayor announced his intention to build a new no kill shelter in Newark.

2012 Launched the Children’s Innovation Institute to improve the welfare, wellness and well-being of America’s children.

AHS again fought with Cory Booker in 2013.

Subsequent to the banning of these volunteers, another volunteer formed a Facebook page called the “Friends of Associated Humane Society – Newark.” However, the volunteer parted ways with AHS on less than friendly terms in 2014.

2016 Saved animals nationwide in daring rescue missions from South Carolina to Spokane, including a massive transcontinental transport campaign that rescued hundreds of animals from almost certain death and gave them forever homes.

2017 Saved and sheltered thousands of frightened, hurt and hungry animals left homeless by the West Virginia floods, the Tennessee wildfires and the historic deluge in Louisiana – the deadliest natural disaster since Superstorm Sandy.