Researcher traces York County SPCA’s earliest meetings to 1925
Brian Brown, project supervisor of the newly opened Manchester Township’s SPCA told the York Daily Record/Sunday News in 2006: ‘These dogs are going to be living good.’ York-area residents began organization of the SPCA in 1925. Background posts: Perrydale’s bovine: ‘She’s a wonderful, laid-back cow’ and Landmark dog guards picket.
Dover’s Sara Bretz is a retired teacher who wants to instruct others about the SPCA’s story.
She’s embarked on a project to learn the SPCA’s history, spending hours in the York County Heritage Trust Archives. She hopes to compile her history into a publication.
She’s found that organizing members of the group first met on March 31, 1925. Harry A. Harris brought the group together.
An annual report for 1931, issued by president Joseph H. Mosser, summarizes the SPCA’s goals in those years:
“The success of efforts by this Society against reckless, thoughtless and cruel treatment of Animals speaks for itself. …One needs only to stop and think of the many thousands of hours of suffering alleviated through the activities of this Society.”
Sarah is looking for additional information on the SPCA, particularly after its organizational years.
YT Square viewers can send any leads to her at 1400 Equestrian Drive, Dover, Pa. 17315. Or call her at 717-308-9919.
The Equestrian Drive address is appropriate for her.
She loves horses.
Staying on the horse theme, notice how prominently those animals – probably used for farming purposes – appeared on this summary of the SPCA’s annual report for 1931.
-Horses removed from Labor – lameness, sores, injuries, underfed: 16
– Horses humanely destroyed: 12
– Horses ordered shod: 7
– Abandoned horses cared for: 5
– Lost dogs recovered: 1
– Dogs given food and shelter, approximate number of days: 1,500
– Homes found for dogs: 127
– Dogs, puppies humanely destroyed: 450 (more than)
– Abandoned dogs cared for: 98
– Dogs seized: 4
– Dogs cared for that were run over and injured: 40
– Prosecutions: 2
– Cats, kittens humanely destroyed: 500 (approximately)
– Correcting handling of ducks, chickens at markets: numerous
– Canaries, improper care in shipment for sale: 1
– Warnings for thoughtless cruelty: 150
Also of interest:
Check out this blog’s stories and photographs about pets and animals.
