Animal Protection

Purpose of Animal Protection

• Enforce City ordinances directly related to animals
• Respond to animal concerns within the City
• Provide for the care and welfare of strays and wildlife as needed; and 
• Educate the public on proper animal care and ownership.

Click to contact an Animal Protection Officer, or please call Henderson Animal Center between the hours of 8AM to 5PM. Leave a detailed voicemail message if necessary.

After hours, please contact the Henderson Police Department to have an Animal Protection Officer dispatched.

History of Animal Protection

19th Century

The late 18th and early 19th centuries saw the emergence of humanitarian reformers in Britain and the United States who campaigned against cruelty to animals, alongside other social issues like child labor. 

Founding of Societies

The first Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA) was founded in England in 1824, followed by the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA) in 1866. 

Anti-Vivisection Movement

The anti-vivisection movement gained momentum in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, led by figures like Frances Power Cobbe in Britain, protesting the use of animals in scientific experiments. 

Industrial Revolution and Animal Agriculture

The rise of industrial agriculture and factory farming in the 20th century led to increased concerns about animal welfare and the conditions in which animals were raised. 

Animal Welfare Act

In 1966, the United States passed the Laboratory Animal Welfare Act (later renamed the Animal Welfare Act), which established standards for the humane care and treatment of animals used in research.