Be Kind to Animals Week, 1959

The Montgomery County Humane Society Records detail the history of the Society including materials that mirror its transition from an organization that consisted of two major departments (the Children’s Department and Animal’s Department) to one which focused solely one department (the Animal’s Department). Within this collection are meeting minutes, case studies, newspaper clippings and newsletters, and photographs and videos.

Series I, Administrative Records, consists of materials that document the administrative history of the Society. Included in this series are the constitution and by-laws of the organization as well as meeting minutes of the Board of Directors and the Board of Trustees.

Series II, Financial Records, consists of monthly financial statements of the Society. In addition to these documents, there are also audits and reports.

Series III, Programs and Publicity Records, consists primarily of photocopies of articles relating to the work of the Humane Society in its endeavors to help animals. The articles are diverse in their focus. Some articles discuss animal cruelties and the methods in which some animals’ lives are terminated in shelters. Other articles were written for the purpose of encouraging pet adoption from humane shelters. There were other, more light-hearted and uplifting, articles about pets and their owners. In addition to the news clippings, there are some newsletters that the Society publishes titled “Animal Talk.” There are also Society reports of various events that it held.

Series IV, Construction Records, consist of materials related to the building of a new facility for the Humane Society. Included in this series are grant proposals, permits, plans, and periodic updates on the project.

Series V, Audio and Visual Material, consists of photos of shelter workers and volunteers and the events in which they participated to help benefit the animals within the shelter. There were also some photographs of animals at these various events. There are also several VHS tapes of various events hosted by the Humane Society.