LEGISLATIVE RESOLUTION commemorating the 150th Anniversary of the found-
ing of the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals on
April 10, 2016

WHEREAS, This Legislative Body is justly proud to commemorate the 150th
Anniversary of the founding of the American Society for the Prevention
of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA), North America's first humane society on
April 10, 2016; and
WHEREAS, In 1866, after witnessing the regular beating, abuse and
overworking of cart horses, Henry Bergh founded the ASPCA on the belief
that protecting animals was an issue that crossed party lines and class
boundaries, and made a commanding moral and legal case to protect
animals that persuaded prominent leaders of the time, including members
of the Rockefeller family, to support him in enacting the first anti-
cruelty law in the United States; and
WHEREAS, Henry Bergh personally fought for animal welfare on New York
City streets as well as the courtroom, regularly inspecting slaughter
houses, working with police to close down dog fighting pits, lecturing
at schools, and operating the nation's first ambulance for overworked
horses that regularly collapsed from dehydration and exhaustion; and
WHEREAS, Henry Bergh's outspoken crusade for beings who have no voice
inspired activists seeking to protect abused children to establish the
New York Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children, the first
child protective agency in the world, of which Henry Bergh served as one
of the still active group's first vice president; and
WHEREAS, By 1888, the year Henry Bergh died, 37 of the country's 38
states had passed animal anti-cruelty laws; and
WHEREAS, Today, the ASPCA carries on Henry Bergh's dedication to
enhancing laws to protect animals in New York State and nationwide by
advocating for the strongest possible protections for animals through
passage of legislation and the establishment of state and federal public
policies that fight animal cruelty and by providing expert legal assist-
ance to prosecutors, law enforcement and cruelty investigators; and
WHEREAS, The ASPCA continues the legacy of Henry Bergh helping animals
in crisis by responding to requests for assistance by law enforcement
and emergency responders around the country, assisting with the removal
of animals from peril created by natural disasters or by animal abuse;
and
WHEREAS, The ASPCA is one of the nation's largest animal welfare grant
makers providing support to U.S.-based nonprofit animal welfare organ-
izations, awarding over $93 million in grants since 2008 to nearly 2,800
animal shelters, municipal and governmental agencies, rescue groups,
sanctuaries and other animal welfare organizations nationwide; and
WHEREAS, Since 2008, the ASPCA has granted over $24 million to organ-
izations throughout New York State in support of programs aimed at
improving live release rates of shelter animals, increasing the popu-
lation of animals that have been spayed or neutered, investigating and
rescuing animals from cruelty and decreasing the number of animals that
enter the sheltering system; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That this Legislative Body pause in its deliberations to
commemorate the 150th Anniversary of the founding of the American Socie-
ty for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals on April 10, 2016; and be it
further
RESOLVED, That this Legislative Body pause further to urge all New
Yorkers to work in their communities to improve positive outcomes for
shelter animals by volunteering to foster animals and advocating for
adequate resources for animal welfare programs; and be it further

RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution, suitably engrossed, be tran-
smitted to Matthew Bershadker, President/CEO, American Society for the
Prevention of Cruelty to Animals.