History and Milestones

1877 | 1878 | 1879 | 1883 | 1884 | 1885 | 1886 | 1890 | 1891 | 1893 | 1894 | 1898 | 1902 | 1903 | 1905 | 1907 | 1909 | 1910 | 1912 | 1913 | 1914 | 1915 | 1916 | 1920 | 1921 | 1925 | 1930 | 1931 | 1932 | 1933 | 1935 | 1936 | 1937 | 1940 | 1941 | 1943 | 1945 | 1946 | 1947 | 1950 | 1951 | 1952 | 1954 | 1955 | 1956 | 1957 | 1958 | 1959 | 1960 | 1961 | 1963 | 1966 | 1967 | 1969 | 1970 | 1971 | 1972 | 1973 | 1975 | 1976 | 1977 | 1978 | 1979 | 1980 | 1981 | 1983 | 1984 | 1985 | 1986 | 1987 | 1988 | 1989 | 1990 | 1991 | 1992 | 1993 | 1994 | 1995 | 1996 | 1997 | 1998 | 1999 | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2005 | 2006 | 2007 | 2008 | 2009 | 2010 | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021

1877

American Humane — the country’s first national humane organization — was founded on October 9 in Cleveland, Ohio, by local humane society representatives from around the United States. The new organization’s first goal was to secure humane treatment for working animals and livestock in transit.

1878

Child safety and protection concerns became part of American Humane's agenda.

American Humane exposed unsanitary and inhumane conditions in slaughterhouses and began a long legislative battle to fight these conditions.

1879

American Humane passed a resolution to promote humane education in public schools and to discourage animal cruelty in classrooms experiments and demonstrations.

1883

Concerned about child abuse and abandoned babies, American Humane promoted the passage of the first Cruelty to Children Act.

1884

American Humane became the official name of the organization through an amendment to its constitution.

1885

American Humane advocated for “humane fountains” — still found in many city squares today — as one of many improvements in the care of fire department, police, and postal horses. Other improvements included humane shoeing and retirement for older and police horses.

1886

American Humane's constitution was amended to officially include children in its agenda.

American Humane proposed legislation to protect child stage performers and called for federal legislation to ban “frequent, large, and deep branding” of livestock.

1890

American Humane outspokenly opposed corporal punishment of children in school.

1891

American Humane launched a national campaign to draw attention to the increasing crime of infanticide.

1893

American Humane's member societies prosecuted 5,520 cases of cruelty to children.

1894

The Link® between violence toward animals and violence toward people was first mentioned at American Humane's annual convention: “The man who was cruel to his beast would be unkind to his wife and child.”

1898

Responding to intense pressure from American Humane, Congress passed a bill prohibiting the practice of vivisection (dissection of live animals) in schools and placed scientists who perform the procedure under governmental regulation and supervision.

1902

Along with the International Ladies’ Garment Workers’ Union, American Humane formed a major committee to limit child labor in the emerging textile industry in the South.

1903

American Humane advocated for the rights of children in divorce cases.

American Humane incorporated under federal law as a not-for-profit organization in Washington, D.C.

1905

American Humane headquarters established in an abandoned hospital in suburban Albany, N.Y. Prior to this, the organization had no regular office, no furniture, and no paid employees.

1907

“Homes of rest,” which provided stalls, food, and pasture for horses too old to work, were a product of an American Humane campaign to improve treatment of workhorses.

1909

American Humane spearheaded a campaign for the passage of national child labor laws.

1910

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

1912

American Humane spoke out in favor the rights of the child: “[A child] has a right to good health; to good sanitary conditions in home and school; to three good meals a day; and to an everyday, useful education.”

1913

American Humane's quarterly magazine, The National Humane Review, was published for the first time. The magazine featured articles on humane issues, profiles of prominent humanitarians, briefs on humane legislation and reports from local organizations. President William H. Taft sent a telegram saying, “I am interested in humane education and the teaching of peace principles to the children of the United States and wish it success.”

1914

American Humane called for safe, off-street playgrounds.

Calling for reform of the foster care system, American Humane insisted that all potential foster parents undergo background investigations and established standards for children’s shelters, recommending separate facilities for boys and girls and insisting that authorities separate abused and neglected children from those who committed delinquent acts.

1915

American Humane initiated Be Kind to Animals Week® and launched a national poster contest for children. Be Kind to Animals Week is still celebrated annually during the first full week of May and is one of the oldest special weeklong observances in the U.S.

1916

The U.S. 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.

1921

American Humane called for legislation to protect children working in the motion picture industry.

1925

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

1930

Rear Admiral Richard Byrd honored with American Humane's Humanity Medal for the special care and humane treatment of the dogs of his polar exhibition.

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. The organization also encouraged child welfare agencies to protect families and remove children from their parents only when absolutely necessary.

1932

American Humane campaigned against children being given and using firearms.

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.

Following an incident in which some 1,400 lambs froze to death in transit, American Humane demanded that the Interstate Commerce Commission and Bureau of Industry create regulations to protect livestock shipped across state lines.

1936

American Humane petitioned the League of Nations and the U.S. Secretary of Commerce for an international treaty calling on nations to stop polluting the seas and save bird life.

1937

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

1940

After the 1939 filming of Jesse James, in which a terrified horse was killed after being forced to run off a cliff, American Humane opened its Western Regional Office in Hollywood, California, to fight cruelty to animals in film and television.

American Humane lobbied for a bill protecting the bald eagle, which President Franklin D. Roosevelt signed into law.

1941

American Humane established standards of operation for animal protection societies. The Association of Motion Picture Producers agreed to give American Humane open access to the sets of all movies using animals.

As the nation prepared for war, American Humane’s Red Star commissioned more than 400 civilians as animal aides, ready to serve in an attack. Millions of copies of Air Raid Precautions for Animals and Wartime Diet for Pets were distributed to the public.

Following the “date which will live in infamy,” Red Star deployed to Pearl Harbor to aid in the recovery efforts.

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.

1945

American Humane started a program to provide therapy dogs for recovering World War II veterans.

First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt and her dog, Fala, joined in an American Humane campaign for dogs to have identification tags.

American Humane urged that child labor laws be amended to forbid children under the age of 16 from performing dangerous manufacturing or mechanical jobs and from holding any sort of job that would require them to work during school hours.

1946

Red Star responded when a strike by railroad workers left animals across the country stranded on trains with no one to move them or unload them. Red Star volunteers provide water and food and save many cattle, sheep, swine, and poultry from starving to death.

The American Association of School Librarians named The National Humane Review as one of the 100 best publications in the country.

1947

American Humane started training programs for professional in humane fields.

1950

American Humane issued Standards for Child Protective Services Agencies, which clearly defined physical abuse, neglect and emotional abuse and identified a three-stage process of child protective work, including fact-finding, diagnosis and treatment.

1951

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

Ronald Reagan hosted the first ever PATSY (Picture Animal Top Star of the Year) Awards to honor outstanding animal actors. Jimmy Stewart presented an award to Molly for her work as Francis, the Talking Mule.

Red Star began training the equivalent of a “civilian defense corps” to care for animals in disasters.

1952

American Humane vocally opposed tobacco industries using animals in tests designed to measure the harshness of cigarette smoke on smokers’ throats.

Be Kind to Animals Week received the endorsements of the U.S. and Canadian governments.

1954

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

1955

American Humane published detailed guidelines on child protection standards and practices for child welfare practitioners, educators, and administrators.

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.

1957

American Humane published No Substitute for Child Protection and Interpreting Child Protective Services to Your Community by Vincent De Francis, aimed at broadening public understanding of child protection.

1958

The Humane Slaughter Act, long advocated by American Humane, is finally signed into law. The act required animals to be stunned unconscious prior to slaughter.

The PATSY awards were expanded to honor animals in television.

1959

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

1960

Vincent De Francis helped update the Child Welfare League of America’s standards for child protective services, which establish federal standards and funding for county and state welfare.

American Humane promoted state-level humane slaughter laws. To encourage participation by slaughterhouses not falling under the federal statute or state laws, American Humane created a “seal of approval,” awarded annually to meat companies that voluntarily met rigid humane slaughter standards.

1961

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

American Humane protested the poisoning of fish, birds, and mammals by pesticides.

1963

American Humane proposed that all 50 states pass laws requiring doctors who discover injuries inflicted on children to report the cases to child protective services.

The National Humane Review, American Humane’s primary publication, celebrated its 50th anniversary and received a letter of congratulations from President John F. Kennedy.

1966

The Supreme Court disbanded the Hays Office, which gave American Humane its jurisdiction on movie sets. Although American Humane continued efforts to oversee productions, it was often banned from sets, and incidents of abuse, injury, and fatalities to animals used in movies and television escalated.

American Humane supported the passage of the Animal Welfare Act, which helped prevent pets from being stolen and sold to research labs.

1967

Red Star sent aid to help animals abandoned or left homeless after the Detroit riots.

1969

American Humane supported the passage of the Endangered Species Conservation Act, which provided protection for and prohibited the import of species in danger of worldwide extinction.

American Humane’s first comprehensive study of sexual abuse of children found that child sexual abuse occurred in far greater numbers than did reported cases of battering.

One of the most powerful hurricanes of all time — Hurricane Camille — struck the Gulf Coast, which brought our Red Star team to help in the rescue of animals caught in the storm.

1970

American Humane tackled pet overpopulation, suggesting that owners spay or neuter their animals. Critical attention was also drawn to the emergence of mass breeding operations, or “puppy mills.”

1971

An article in The National Humane Review exposed the widespread 1existence of cockfighting in the U.S. and called on law enforcement to crack down on the inhumane contests.

Red Star workers aided shore birds following a tanker spill in San Francisco.

American Humane testified in favor of the Marine Mammal Protection Act, with special regard to seal killing in the Pribilof Islands.

1972

American Humane’s first “No Animals Were Harmed”® end credit was issued to the movie The Doberman Gang.

A Peanuts cartoon featured Snoopy making out his will and leaving all of his belongings to American Humane.

American Humane developed a professional training curriculum and standards for child protection workers.

1973

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

To bring attention to psychological abuse and neglect, American Humane’s Vincent De Francis testified at hearing leading to the creation of the Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act.

American Humane urged Congress to enforce the Horse Protection Act.

1975

American Humane observed its first annual Adopt-A-Cat Month®, to encourage the adoption of cats from overcrowded animal shelters.

Despite the lack of a Congressional mandate, the National Livestock Dealers Association and the American Trucking Association approached American Humane for suggestion on making the transport of livestock in trucks more humane.

1976

With a grant from the U.S. 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.

American Humane supported an amendment to the Animal Welfare Act that adds protection for animals in transport.

1977

American Humane celebrated its centennial. Over the course of 100 years, the organization expanded its mission, influenced public policy, framed philosophies of animal and child protection and provided thousands of professionals and laymen with humane training and education.

1978

American Humane reported on the tuna industry’s killing of porpoises, and called for protective legislation in the United States and an international ban on killing porpoises.

American Humane led support for the Humane Methods of Slaughter Act, proposed legislation that strengthened the original law and applied to all American slaughterhouses (not just those contracted with the government), and foreign slaughterhouses that exported to the United States.

1979

American Humane published its third nationwide survey of child protective services. The major finding was that the increase in child abuse reports was not matched by an increase in personnel, producing overwhelming caseloads and resulting in inadequate services.

1980

The public outcry over the callous disregard for animal safety and well-being during the filming of Heaven’s Gate resulted in the film industry reinstating American Humane’s authority to protect animals on set, through a contractual agreement with the Screen Actors Guild.

American Humane published the first edition of its landmark text, Helping in Child Protective Services, an influential resource for the public child welfare field.

After the eruption of Mount St. Helen’s, Red Star helped feed and temporarily house displaced pets.

1981

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

American Humane developed a comprehensive child protection certification curriculum for the highly specialized field of child protective services.

1983

At American Humane’s urging, the U.S. House of Representatives established the Select Committee on Children, Youth, and Families.

1984

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

To meet the critical need to educate animal control investigators in the special needs of horses, American Humane launched the first National Horse Abuse Investigations School.

1985

Backed by American Humane, anti-dogfighting laws were passed in Colorado, South Dakota, Wyoming, and Montana.

American Humane national reporting data showed documented child maltreatment reports topped 1 million for the first time.

1986

American Humane research revealed a five-year increase in child sexual abuse reports of 170 percent, prompting the organization to develop its child sexual abuse curriculum for child protective service workers.

American Humane was appointed to the Federal Wild Horse and Burros Advisory Board, which works for the management and protection of wild, free-roaming horses and burros on public lands.

1987

The U.S. 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.

American Humane established the first-ever prison program for taming wild horses to make them more adoptable: the Colorado Wild Horse Inmate Program.

1988

American Humane brought together leaders in the child protection field to develop a consensus on public policy philosophy. The result, called, a Framework for Advocacy, recommended the legislation and procedures focus on keeping families together and placing children in permanent homes.

American Humane issued the first formalized Guidelines for the Safe Use of Animals in Filmed Media, covering all “sentient beasts.”

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.

American Humane successfully lobbied to double funding of the National Institutes of Health Biological Models and Materials Resources Section, which was charged with developing alternatives to the use of mammals in biomedical research.

American Humane developed its child protective services policy database, to gather and review state child welfare policies and procedures, the first and only national repository of state child welfare policy information in the United States.

1990

American Humane took a leadership role in addressing ethnic and cultural issues related to child protection. The organization supported the Indian Child Protection and Family Violence Protection Act, which required reporting of abuse and provided for prevention and treatment in Native American Communities.

American Humane held its first national humane education workshop giving educators curriculum ideas and methods of teaching humane values.

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.

American Humane held its first National Cruelty Investigations School for animal control officers and shelter workers.

1991

To keep soldiers from having to permanently give up their pets, American Humane developed guidelines for animal shelters to foster pets of military reservists sent to the Middle East during Operation Desert Storm.

1992

The federal government reappointed American Humane to operate the National Resource Center on Child Abuse and Neglect. At the request of the U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary, American Humane held a national meeting of all major sectors of society concerned with child abuse.

The path of destruction from Hurricane Andrew was so great that Red Star responded in Florida, Louisiana, and Texas just for this storm alone.

1993

American Humane held a national meeting on disaster preparedness in Florida.

American Humane established the Be Kind to Animals Kid Contest to honor children who show exceptional care for animals.
American Humane testified before Congress in support of funding for state and local level family support and parenting programs and innovative child welfare services as family preservation, reunification, and respite care.

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.

American Humane launched a public awareness campaign about the need for adopting older dogs.

Following the Los Angeles earthquake, Red Star helped set up a temporary shelter in a public park to house animals who had fled from their homes when the quake hit.

1995

American Humane became a primary proponent of family group decision making (FGDM) in the U.S. FGDM is an innovative method of getting extended families involved in making critical decisions about children who are in the child welfare system.

American Humane established the Second Chance® Fund to provide grants to local animal care agencies to pay for medical expenses of animal victims of malicious violence.

1996

American Humane testified at a Congressional hearing on pet theft in support of the Pet Safety and Protection Act.

The organization co-sponsored a national forum on feral cats and publishes the first comprehensive report on issues surrounding feral cats and overpopulation.

American Humane issued a Campaign Against Violence kit to be used to gain stronger anti-cruelty laws in all states.

1997

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

American Humane issued the first-ever guide for shelters on handling the pets of domestic violence victims.

American Humane supported the passage of the Adoption and Safe Families Act, which speeds up decision making to free a child for adoption when living with his or her birth family is inadvisable.

1998

American Humane initiated a Humane Dog-Training Task Force to establish national standards to humane training of dogs.

The “No Animals Were Harmed”® website was launched to provide filmgoers with movie review that describe how animal action was achieved, a ratings system, a mechanism for people to ask questions and raise concerns, and information for producers.

1999

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

American Humane sent posters to advertising agencies advising how to portray animals in advertisements responsibly.

American Humane held a national forum on animal adoption procedure to discuss research and best practices for increasing animal adoptions.

American Humane-backed legislation passed, allowing all those in federally-assisted housing to benefit from the companionship of pets.

2000

American Humane launched its farm animal program to establish standards for the humane care of animals in agriculture and began certifying farms committed to raising livestock humanely.

American Humane received support from the Children’s Bureau, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, to operate one of the first four Regional Quality Improvement Centers, focusing on substance abuse and child maltreatment.

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.

2002

Red Star responded to the Rodeo-Chediski fire in Arizona, the largest wildfire in Arizona history.

2003

In response to the fatal shooting of a family dog in Tennessee, American Humane created “Bark…Stop, Drop & Roll,” a training to teach law enforcement officers safe dog handling.

Red Star sent response teams to hurricanes in North Carolina and tornadoes in Kansas.

2005

Red Star Animal Emergency Services deployed to Louisiana to help animal victims of Hurricanes Katrina, Rita, and Wilma. With 18,000 man-hours logged by volunteers and staff over more than six weeks, it was the longest and most extensive disaster response in American Humane’s history.

American Humane held a national conference on emergency response in Alexandria, VA to review and analyze the successes and problems encountered during disaster relief efforts in the Gulf Coast region.

American Humane initiated the passage of landmark legislation to allow a wounded war veteran to adopt the bomb-sniffing dog she served with in Iraq.

2006

American Humane hosted its first differential response conference. Differential response is an approach that allows child protective services to respond differently to each child abuse report, depending on the severity of the abuse, the family’s history and other factors. To address growing issues in child welfare, American Humane established the Immigration and Child Welfare initiative and the Fatherhood initiative.

The American Red Cross and American Humane renewed a groundbreaking agreement to provide for mutual cooperation between the two organizations in the emergency relief of domestic animals, the assurance of their care, and the search for their owners.

Following devastating wildfires in Texas, which burned more than 1 million acres, Red Star responded with food, supplies, and medical attention for burned and displaced horses and cattle.

American Humane held its first Differential Response conference. Differential Response is an approach that allows child protective services to respond differently to each child abuse report depending on the severity of the abuse, the family’s history, and other factors.

2007

American Humane established the Child Protection Research Center to address long-standing issues related to the improvement of public child protective services. The Center examines the child welfare system’s racial disproportionality, among other issues.

Red Star deployed to Southeastern Colorado to dig out thousands of pigs and provide food and medical care for them after a blizzard caused 15-foot snow drifts.

2008

Denver Pet Partners, an animal-assisted therapy organization, became a program of American Humane.

American Humane established the Child Welfare Disparities Resource Center to address issues of how services are managed, resourced and provided based on race and ethnicity.

2009

UNICEF chose American Humane’s Child Protection Research Center and its partner, Chapin Hall at the University of Chicago, to work on its international household surveys on child discipline.

The majority of the nation’s cage-free egg producers became certified by the American Humane Certified™ farm animal program.

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.

Began a ground-breaking partnership with Pfizer to determine how animal-assisted therapy can improve the health and well-being of children with cancer, and their families.

Red Star deployed a team to help the animals affected by the devastating earthquake in Haiti.

2011

Established the Animal Welfare Research Institute to explore and achieve advances in predictive, preventive and participatory methods to save animals’ lives and improve their quality of life.

Launched the American Humane Hero Dog Awards™ to honor dogs who transform people’s lives through unconditional love, devotion and intuition.

As the world watched in horror over the combined earthquake, tsunami, and nuclear incident in Fukushima, Japan, American Humane mobilized resources and financial aid for animal rescue organizations in Japan.

Dire flooding in Memphis and Minot, North Dakota brought Red Star teams to provide care and sheltering for the affected animals.

In response to a catastrophic tornado afflicting Joplin, Missouri, Red Star was deployed to help the animals in need.

2012

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

Red Star Rescue services was sent to Memphis on an emergency deployment to shelter more than 50 dogs seized from the back of an animal hoarder’s truck. The animals were airlifted to safe shelters where they were adopted into forever homes.

American Humane and Pfizer Animal Health released Phase I of a groundbreaking new research study, “Canines and Childhood Cancer,” on the beneficial effects of animal-assisted therapy on children with cancer. The results were reported worldwide.

Following some of the worst wildfire conditions in our nation’s history, Red Star teams deployed to the Colorado Springs area, sheltering animals, and reuniting more than 200 with their families.

After the movie theatre shootings in Aurora, CO, American Humane worked to give parents, teachers, and others information to help children cope with and overcome the trauma.

American Humane released a major new research report, “Keeping Pets (Dogs and Cats) in Homes Retention Study,” seeking to keep pets in their homes and reduce the number of healthy, adoptable animals being destroyed in shelters each year.

Red Star Rescue services deployed to Tennessee to intervene in a mass cruelty case involving 168 animals in terrible condition. Medical care, sheltering, and adoption services were provided to the dehydrated, hungry, and frightened animals.

American Humane’s Animal Welfare Research Institute released a survey, “People, Pets and the World We Share,” demonstrating the lasting impact pets have on children.

Our Red Star Rescue teams deployed to help the 30 million animals in the path of Hurricane Sandy, bringing help, hope and more than 100,000 pounds of emergency food, medicine and supplies to the eastern seaboard with the help of MARS Petcare US, makers of Pedigree® brand, Whiskas® brand, and Royal Canin® brand, Pfizer Animal Health, Cat’s Pride© cat litter, FreeHand™ pet food, Always Express, Yukon Graphics, and Julian James Advertising Design.

2013

Released vital new data showing that of all the animals adopted from shelters, up to 1 million are lost, die, or given away within six months.

Deployed our Red Star Animal-Assisted Therapy team to help children, families, and mourners following the Boston terror bombings.

Partnered with major corporations to provide millions of dollars of food and health supplies to the nation’s shelters.

Sent our animal rescue teams to save lost and frightened animals left homeless in the wake of the EF-5 tornado that wiped out Moore, Oklahoma.

Released results from the second phase of a groundbreaking research study designed to measure the effectiveness of therapy dogs in helping children with cancer.

Provided a major grant to help the more than 1,000 animals still languishing in shelters two years after the Japanese earthquake, tsunami and nuclear meltdown.

Quintupled the number of animals under the protection of our Farm Animal Program, from 200 million to 1 billion.

Provided therapy animals for the children of military families at more than 10 “Operation Purple” summer camps across the nation.

Reached hundreds of millions of people with information designed to protect children and animals from abuse, neglect, manmade and natural disasters.

Assisted with the second-largest dog-fighting raid in U.S. history, helping to shelter and care for 267 animals.

The National Fire Dog Monument, America’s first national tribute to arson dogs and their handlers, was permanently installed in Washington, D.C. through the efforts of American Humane and State Farm.

2014

Responded within hours to the deadly EF-5 tornado that devastated Moore, Oklahoma. American Humane Rescue responders spent more than a month in Oklahoma, helping to rescue and shelter animals impacted by the storm.

Worked to rescue 146 animals, including dogs, cats, ducks, chickens and turtles, caught in the historic flooding in Colorado.

Sheltered and cared for more than 250 animals seized by a coalition of humane organizations in the second largest dog-fighting raid in U.S. history.

Worked with The Weather Channel to distribute lifesaving tips for families, children and pets to 100 million people nationwide.

Served the children of our military families with Operation Purple and victims of tragedies such as the Boston Marathon bombings through our pioneering animal-assisted therapy program.

Conducted groundbreaking humane research to help children with cancer, and national research to save more of the 3-4 million animals euthanized each year by finding new ways to increase pet retention.

2015

Celebrated the 100th anniversary of our “Be Kind to Animals Week®,” the oldest commemorative week in U.S. history, as well as the 100th anniversary of the Red Star® Rescue Animal Emergency Services program.

Deployed to Tennessee to assist authorities in a shocking raid that found nearly two dozen animals starving.

Rushed to the aid of more than 100 helpless animals found in terrible condition at a New Jersey shelter, as well as 66 animals in dire need at a reservation in South Dakota.

Celebrated the fifth American Humane Hero Dog Awards®, naming Harley, a puppy mill survivor, as America’s top hero dog for his work in saving other victims like him and educating Americans about the horrific abuses in those facilities.

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.

Secured major victories for millions of farm animals by partnering with major food chains and food services including Taco Bell, Unilever, Einstein Bros Bagels, Peet’s Coffee and Caribou Coffee to use American Humane Certified® farm products throughout their extensive supply chains.

Helped America’s brave veterans and military hero dogs as Congress passed and President Obama signed into law the 2016 National Defense Authorization Act containing language advocated by American Humane guaranteeing a retirement on U.S. soil for all military working dogs and giving their former handlers first rights of adoption.

Celebrated the launch of a powerful new voice for children and animals – the new, bipartisan “Congressional Humane Bond Caucus” – and hosted three Capitol Hill briefings in 2015.

Released a major white paper on the important role working dogs play in our lives, a study surveying the “State of America’s Children,” and a study on the important educational value of “Pets in the Classroom.”

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.

First to serve the staggering numbers of animals abandoned to the country’s shelters, working with Chicken Soup for the Soul Pet Food in a nationwide effort to provide one million nutritious, free meals to pets anxiously awaiting their forever homes.

Launched the American Humane Conservation™ program, the world’s first effort dedicated solely to protecting and helping ensure good living conditions and humane treatment for the millions of creatures being preserved in the world’s zoos, aquariums and conservation centers.

Provided 27 grants last year to help veterans secure lifesaving service dogs.

2018

Saved, sheltered, and fed more than 600,000 animals in desperate need, with American Humane Rescue deploying to help thousands of animal victims of hurricanes Harvey, Irma, and Maria, as well as the California wildfires.

Helped ensure the safety of nearly 100,000 animals on film and television productions through our No Animals Were Harmed® program.

Verified the well-being of 250,000 remarkable animals through our American Humane Conservation™ program in zoological facilities around the world.

Worked to improve the lives of some one million farm animals by helping ensure humane living conditions and treatment through our American Humane Farm program.

2019

Collaborated with United Airlines to identify critical animal welfare needs within pet travel.

Verified the well-being of 315,000 remarkable animals through our Humane Conservation™ program in zoos and aquariums around the world.

Saved, sheltered and fed more than 200,000 animals in desperate need following Hurricanes Florence and Michael, the Oklahoma floods and major cruelty cases.

2020

Served more than 1 million meals to animals in need during the pandemic through our national “Feed the Hungry/COVID-19” campaign.

Deployed the American Humane Rescue team to save, shelter and care for desperate animals in the path of Hurricane Laura and California wildfires.

Earned Charity Navigator’s top 4-Star rating for the third time in a row!

Published “Mission Metamorphosis,” our CEO’s best-selling book on the history and turnaround of American Humane.

Premiered “Escape from Extinction,” an award-winning conservation documentary narrated by Dame Helen Mirren.

2021

Deployed to Tennessee to save dozens of collies and collie mixes left starving and freezing in frigid temperatures.

Introduced the world’s first aquaculture welfare standards for the farming of salmon and trout.

Deployed our American Humane Rescue team to help the animal victims of Hurricane Ida and the Caldor wildfires.

Opened the American Humane Sanctuary, our first hands-on refuge and place of healing for animals in need of homes and veterans in need of lifesaving service dogs.