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The Richmond SPCA

History

After the Civil War people’s concerns were raised regarding animal abuse and cruelty. In the late 19th century organizations throughout the United States began to arise in the effort to protect animals.

In Richmond, VA, Nellie Palmer married W. Ben Palmer, a Confederate Civil War soldier in the 43rd Battalion, Virginia Cavalry. This group was known for their “"deep devotion to their horses,"” leading her husband to be an activist against animal abuse as well. Nellie Palmer was very passionate about animals and wanted to establish an SPCA in her own community. Nellie and Ben Palmer tried to create the Richmond SPCA in 1883 by gathering a group of people to their 315 E. Grace Street home but failed. They attempted this creation again in 1891 and were successful. The Palmers recruited influential leaders to assist them in the creation of this organization such as Joseph Bryan, founder of the Richmond Times-Dispatch. The SPCA in Richmond struggled with its finances, but Nellie Palmer's aunt, Louisa Nalle, left her Richmond estate to Palmer upon her death. Not only did the Palmers have a new location for their shelter but, a sum of $24,000 was left to the SPCA that could be used to advocate for animal protection. In 1984, the Virginia General Assembly declared animal cruelty a crime. This was the first successful statute regarding animal safety. In the 20th century, leadership of the Richmond SPCA was taken by Ellen Glasgow, a women's activist and Pulitzer Prize winner.

Ellen Glasgow highlighted the idea of "anthropomorphic pomposity," an idea that humans are superior to animals. Glasgow was the president of the Richmond SPCA's board and the enforcer of the 1st shelter to be created in 1924 for this organization. For two decades Glasgow was president of the board and recruited other influential Richmonders, Douglas Southall Freeman and James Branch Campbell. Glasgow died in 1945.

In the mid 20th century, animal welfare in Richmond and the country as a whole got seemingly worse. Birth rates of cats and dogs went unmarked and large numbers of animal deaths in shelters was invisible to the public. In the 60's and 70's humane societies began to kill animals, going against the mission of animal shelters. Ed Duvin wrote an article named "in the Name of Mercy" in 1989. This article showed America the truth about what was happening in shelters, and shocked fellow animal lovers. He stated that "is the dark secret that it is, in part, little more than a vast killing machine." He highlighted how billions of dollars was spent but this never formed a national association that was effective in giving proper treatment to the shelter animals. This article was a catalyst for animal treatment in shelters.

After his article a new focus was shined upon. Shelters began spaying and neutering animals and promoting adoption. Places started changing to "no-kill" which led to saving millions of cats and dogs lives. The San Francisco SPCA was the first to move to non-kill and the Richmond SPCA was the first to successfully replicate it.

About

The Richmond SPCA is a non-kill animal shelter founded in 1891. They are a “non-profit, non-kill (as of January 2002) humane organization dedicated to the principle that every life is precious.” The founder is Nellie Palmer and currently operated by Robin Starr. The shelter is located in the capital of Virginia on Hermitage Road. This shelter consists of cats and dogs that have been transferred to the location or “surrendered” by their families. 70 percent of the cats and dogs that come to the Richmond SPCA are transferred from other pounds and shelters while 30 percent are surrendered to the SPCA by their families.

The Richmond SPCA does not accept stray pets because “the owners who have lost a pet need a central location to find him, and that is their local municipal shelter. Also, cage space is limited and the Richmond SPCA wishes to save the largest number of lives possible, but strays must be held at the shelter for a period of time where they cannot be adopted. When stray animals are brought to the Richmond SPCA, “the good Samaritans who found him are directed to the appropriate animal control facility.” If an owner is searching for their pet, there is a mandatory period of time called a “stray period” which, under state law, requires the shelter to hold that animal there. The owner then has a chance to find the pet at a government shelter. As the “stray period” concludes the Richmond SPCA can then transfer the pet to their location to prevent the animal from death and provide proper care. Transfer agreements are put in place with the Richmond SPCA and government shelters and this “policy exists to give stray pets the best chance of being reunited with their families.” The Richmond SPCA has a strict policy for relinquishing pets. Relinquishing pets, also known as surrendering, is when a pet owner decides to sign over their legal rights as a pet owner, pay a fee, and leave their pet with an animal shelter. Space is sometimes limited, so the Richmond SPCA cannot always admit new pets. There is however a waiting list for both cats and dogs to be relinquished to this shelter. As space becomes available the admissions department contacts members on the waiting list to schedule an appointment to discuss the relinquishment of their pet. “While pets are on the waiting list, our staff helps the owners resolve behavioral issues, gets the pet fully inoculated and spayed or neutered.” By the shelter doing this, families often decide in keeping their pet or finding him or her a new home on their own. The Richmond SPCA is involved with a program called Maddie’s Fund, their “mission is to revolutionize the status and well-being of companion animals.” Maddie is the dog of Dave and Cheryl (the creators of the Fund) who inspired them to “give generously and to help save homeless pets in desperate need of love and care.” This program finds alternatives to relinquishment of pets.

The Richmond SPCA offers the “Clinic for Compassionate Care, which provides low-cost, full-service veterinary care to pets of income-qualified guardians as well as some other eligible groups.” The clinic also provides “treatment for pets in the custody of area municipal pounds and shelters, pets adopted from the Richmond SPCA, pets of former Wellness Clinic clients, pets of Richmond SPCA employees and pets referred to the clinic by other veterinarians.”