Henry Bergh

Henry Bergh devoted most of his 75 years to helping animals till his death in 1888.He established the A.S.P.C.A. in New York City in 1866 the first animal shelter in the USA he is a hero to so many including me. 

             In February 1866 he gave his first speech on animal protection in the United States. He also called for a moral fight to help animals. Only 9 days later the state passed a law prohibiting cruelty to animals. Bergh's fledging A.S.P.C.A was given the power to enforce that law. He had spent the next 20 years fighting animal cruelty. In person with his hat and cane he stopped drives of overloaded carts and buses pulled by horses and forced them to unload. Once he had to toss a disobedient driver in to a snow bank and unhitch his horses himself.

            Bergh's death in 1888 the A.S.P.C.A was taken over by many people, but is now run by Edwin Sayres. Hopefully it will stay a no killing shelter just how Bergh wished it to be.