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On May 3, 1917, Miss Maud Haldeman along with seventeen other
women met with John B. Graybill, a Lancaster attorney, the result
of their efforts was the formation of the Woman’s Humane
League of Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. The purpose of this
venture was “This Corporation is founded for the prevention
of cruelty to, and care of, children, girls, aged persons, and
animals within the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, and to enforce
all laws enacted by the Pennsylvania legislature or by Congress
for the protection of the children, girls, aged persons and
animals.”
For twenty years complaints were investigated and resolved,
but there was no shelter available for homeless animals. Beginning
in 1937, animals were housed in kennels in Columbia, and then
at the Fairgrounds in Lancaster (located on the Harrisburg
Pike, next to Long’s Park). Subsequent locations for
the shelter were on Letort Road and New Danville Pike.
The property at 2195 Lincoln Hwy. East was purchased in 1956
from Jack E. Cooke Kennels. The League’s office was
located in the rear room of the house until 1974, when the
shelter building was completed.
As early as 1935, cases of cruelty towards children were
reported to the women of the Women’s Humane League,
but after Social Service agencies began to address the problems
facing children, girls and aged persons, The Woman’s
Humane League of Lancaster County devoted all of its time
and efforts to the animals.
A “Men’s Advisory Committee” was formed
in 1946 to assist the ladies, and beginning with the minutes
of the 1947 annual meeting the word “Woman’s”
was omitted from the league’s name, and the name was
later changed to the Humane League of Lancaster County. In
1948 the first man was accepted as an officer of the Board
of Directors, Warren Broome, and First Vice-President. In
1980, Warren Broom’s niece, Mary Jane Kroll, was elected
as the First Vice-President. During her tenure on the Board,
she served as President, Treasurer, and Assistant Treasurer.
In 1974, Joyce H. Witmer was the first woman authorized to
carry a badge as an Investigator of cruelty complaints in
Lancaster County, and she later served as the Board of Director’s
Corresponding Secretary and a member of the Board for many
years.
In 1988 a capital campaign fund, “Building for the Animals”
resulted in a new infirmary for the animals, a remodeled reception
area, an isolation area for sick animals and a get acquainted
room where people could meet potential new pets, and addition
office space on the second floor of the shelter building as
added.
In 1997 major shelter renovations and improvements increased
the comfort and safety for the animals and expanded service
areas for customers and visitors. In 2001 the shelter opened
a new Cat Adoption Center, featuring state of the art cat
colony housing and improved care areas for our feline friends
and small mammals.
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Services Provided:
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with Rescue Groups | Cruelty and Neglect to Animals
(To report cruelty call (717) 393-6551)
The Humane
League of Lancaster County is an independent non-profit organization
for the prevention of cruelty
to animals and the care of stray and unwanted animals. We
are a 501(c)3 IRS Approved Charity.
2195 Lincoln Highway East, Lancaster, PA 17602
(717) 393- 6551 | Fax (717) 295-1391 | E-mail: info@humaneleague.com
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Copyright © 2005 Humane League of Lancaster County, All
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