Mission Statement
The purpose of this association is the prevention of cruelty to animals, the relief of suffering among animals, and the extension of humane education.
It is the goal of this association to guarantee humane care and treatment for all animals needing protection in the area served by the association. It is the policy of this association to seek to return lost animals to their owners; to seek suitable homes for animals without owners; and to provide shelter for animals in emergency situations.
In its care of animals, the association shall maintain the standards prescribed by the Humane Association of the United States.
History
The Humane Association was founded in 1978 by a few local ladies having tea one day. They were discussing the need for an organization to help with the animal welfare problems they saw in their local community and decided that they would start one. About a year later a volunteer named Ivy Turner offered to renovate her basement into a cat shelter. History was then made. Mrs. Turner became the president of the Humane Association and ran the organization for over 20 years. With her guidance the association opened a small office in downtown Pascoag, RI that was used to hold adoption appointment and served as the headquarters for the association. Later to raise revenue they expanded to open a small thrift shop in the same building and moved their shelter from Ivy's house to a space in the building. Sadly Mrs. Turner passed away in 2000. Her passing was the end of a legacy that still lives on today.
 In 1999, a year before Mrs. Turner's passing, Phyllis Dorr took over as president of the Humane Association. She has taken Mrs. Turner legacy to new and exciting places. She change the way the shelter was run. It became the first shelter in Rhode Island to run on a no-kill basis. The shelter, office and thrift shop moved to a larger space on Main Street in Pascoag. In 2003 the SNYPP (Spay Neuter Your Pet Program) Clinic opened. It is the first low-cost spay neuter clinic in Rhode Island. Over the past few years it has been expanded to a pet wellness clinic that does preventative care at a low cost. Also, the shelter, office and store have moved one more time to a newly renovated space in Echo Plaza in Pascoag. Instead of having a thrift shop to help support the shelter, it was decided to change the store to a pet supply store. They felt this was more in keeping with the goals of the association. In 2006 the Humane Association received a grant from the Rhode Island Foundation to open a Humane Education Center. It will be the first of its kind in Rhode Island and is in the process of being pulled together. Lastly the SNYPP Clinic will also be moving into Echo Plaza at the end of 2006. |
