About the ASPCA

The ASPCA (The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals) is the first animal welfare organization established in North America and serves as the nation’s leading voice for animals. The organization’s mission is to provide effective means for the prevention of cruelty to animals throughout the United States. The ASPCA provides local and national leadership in three key areas: protecting and rescuing animals from crisis, assisting animals in communities and advancing legal protection for animals.

The ASPCA was founded by Henry Bergh in 1866 on the belief that animals are entitled to kind and respectful treatment at the hands of humans, and must be protected under the law. Headquartered in New York City, the ASPCA maintains a full-service animal hospital, spay/neuter clinic, rehabilitation center for canine victims of cruelty, kitten nursery and adoption facility. In addition, the ASPCA announced a groundbreaking anti-cruelty partnership with the New York Police Department in 2013, which has resulted in a record-breaking number of arrests and animals’ lives saved.

The ASPCA also operates programs and services that extend nationwide, including a Field Investigation and Response team that rescues animal victims of natural and man-made disasters, a fully-subsidized spay/neuter clinic in Los Angeles, a Behavioral Rehabilitation Center for fearful, under-socialized dogs, and a 24-hour, 365-day Animal Poison Control Center that provides pet owners and veterinarians with live, on-call assistance related to toxic products and substances. In 2015, the ASPCA acquired Humane Alliance, the nation’s leading training and education organization focusing on high-quality, high-volume spay/neuter.

The ASPCA is a privately funded 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization supported by more than 2 million animal advocates across the country.