March may have marked Women’s History Month, but 2026 also marks the 157th Anniversary of the Animal Sheltering and Adoptions movement in America. It began in Philadelphia in 1869. And it began with women – thirty of them to be exact, who formally joined forces on April 14, 1869, to establish the Women’s Pennsylvania Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals – and as we know it today - Women’s Animal Center, America’s First Animal Shelter™. Concerned by the cruel way strays on Philadelphia streets were captured and killed, they successfully petitioned the mayor to take over the municipal pound as their initial order of business, repurposing it as the first facility in the U.S. for sheltering and rehoming animals.
Remarkably and in addition to standing as the first Animal Shelter and Adoptions Program, Women’s Animal Center also pioneered the nation’s first humane education programs continuing today teaching young people compassion, kindness, and respect for animals; first free veterinary clinic; and first anti-vivisection society.
Although living during an era that constrained their status as second-class citizens with minimal rights, the founders of Women’s Animal Center, led by the courageous and formidable Caroline Earle White, used what little voice they had to speak on behalf of the voiceless. The power of their message continues to be told today through the daily, lifesaving work of more than 3,500+ animal shelters currently in operation across the country. The extent of their influence is written on the heart of American culture itself, reflected in an estimated 90+ million American households now shared with pets. America is today one of the most impassioned nations of pet lovers on the planet, and where over 4 million cats and dogs were adopted from shelters in 2024 alone.
In 2025, Women’s Animal Center found homes for 1,152 homeless animals; 19,725 pets were treated in the Center’s Veterinary Hospital; 1,800 families received pet food through a community food pantry helping prevent surrender during financial hardship; and 2,121 children and teens participated in the Center’s education programs.
The countless lives saved since the formation of America’s First Animal Shelter™ are reason enough to celebrate the women who made it possible this Women’s History Month. Women's Animal Center continues to be governed by an all-women board of directors and executive leader. The organization marks its 157th founding on April 14th and remains dedicated to its lifesaving work. Women’s Animal Center bears a great honor and responsibility to the fundamental role women have played in the founding and evolution of animal welfare in our great nation, past and present.
Women’s Animal Center, now located at 3839 Richlieu Rd. can be reached by phone at 215-750-5252. For programs/services, to adopt a shelter pet and/or make a monetary donation, visit www.womensanimalcenter.org.
