Margaret Waring (President of CAS during WW II)
Credit: Charleston Animal Society
The Charleston Animal Society, the first animal protection organization in South Carolina and one of the oldest in the entire country, celebrates its 150th anniversary on March 14th.
For 150 years, this community institution has been dedicated to preventing cruelty to animals and providing a legacy of care.
Founded by a group of Charlestonians on March 14, 1874 as the South Carolina Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, with Nathaniel Russell Middleton serving as its first president, the organization’s immediate concerns were to combat the neglect of working animals, the inhumane shipping of cattle, and to resolve the epidemic of stray dogs.
From building its first shelter in downtown Charleston in 1948, to leading Charleston County to become the first No Kill Community in the Southeast in 2013, Charleston Animal Society has always focused on improving the lives of animals.
"The 150 years of leadership, tradition, and excellence in improving the plight of animals and children illustrates what can be accomplished by a group of dedicated individuals and a committed community of compassionate citizens from one generation to another,” said Charleston Animal Society President and
CEO Joe Elmore, CAWA, CFRE.
You can learn more and donate at CharlestonAnimalSociety.org.
