Ranked Nonprofits: Local Animal Welfare, Rights, & Protection 2011

Securing the future of the American PIt Bull Terrier as a cherished family companion.

Mission Statement: Improving the lives of animals and people through advocacy, education, and support. The Marin Humane Society, organized over one hundred years ago, is a progressive animal shelter offering refuge and rehabilitation to nearly ten thousand animals each year through a myriad of community services including: adoptions, foster care, humane education for schoolchildren, lost and found pet services, low-cost spay/neuter services, and more. The Marin Humane Society finds homes for over two thousand animals every year.

Animal Place provides sanctuary for abused and discarded farmed animals. We promote compassion, respect and responsibility for all life through education and outreach activities.

The Mayor's Alliance for NYC's Animals is working toward the day when no NYC dog or cat of reasonable health and temperament is killed merely because he or she does not have a home. Our goal is to make NYC a no-kill community by 2015 and to sustain that success. To achieve this goal, the Alliance, a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit corporation, has formed a public-private partnership with the City of New York (100% privately funded) to develop creative solutions to deal with issues of animal care and control in New York City. We have united 150+ not-for-profit animal care groups, small and large, already working effectively to place NYC's dogs and cats. These groups range from the ASPCA, a founding member and major supporter of the Alliance, to all-volunteer, neighborhood-based groups. In accordance with our 10-year strategic plan, we continue to help these groups work to their highest potential, while also implementing key initiatives to both support the efforts of these groups and achieve our overall mission. Among our key initiatives are (i) Wheels of Hope for NYC's Homeless Pets, our transport program (driving dogs and cats from Animal Care & Control of NYC (AC&C;), our city shelters, to the no-kill groups participating in the Alliance); (ii) the Picasso Veterinary Fund (helping to pay for life-saving vet care for homeless pets taken in by our city shelters); and (iii) the New York City Feral Cat Initiative (working via the humane method of Trap-Neuter-Return to address the feral cat overpopulation crisis in NYC and decrease cat intake and euthanasia at our city shelters).

The mission of the SPCA is to create a caring and king community that encourages fair and humane treatment of all creatures. Our knowledgeable, caring, and open-minded team of staff and volunteers achieves that mission through proactive efforts to address the current status of anirmals in our community, education of adults and children, rescue and sheltering of animals in need, and placement of animals into appropriate homes.

The mission of the Houston SPCA is to promote commitment to and respect for all animals and to free them from suffering, abuse and exploitation.

The Austin Humane Society (AHS) offers comprehensive, humane, life-saving animal services, transforming the lives of animals and those who love them. Because we believe homeless animals deserve a chance to thrive in a loving environment, we offer innovative, nationally recognized programs that save the lives of thousands of dogs and cats each year. AHS’ approach to addressing animal homelessness encompasses both finding animals homes through adoption as well as preventing future homelessness through spay/neuter programs.

The Mission of the Massachusetts Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals & Angell Animal Medical Center is to protect animals, relieve their suffering, advance their health and welfare, prevent cruelty, and work for a just and compassionate society.