The Cayman Islands Humane Society is marking a significant milestone this week as it celebrates 50 years of caring for animals across the islands.
To recognise this achievement and reflect on its successes, the group is hosting a free party on Saturday for its supporters.
The family-friendly event will take place at the Holiday Inn Resort Grand Cayman from 11am to 3pm, and there will be hot dogs, cake, puppy petting, a raffle, cocktails and more.
Operations manager Samantha Cooper said: “It’s a moment of reflection for us on everything we’ve achieved, and of course, what we have still left to achieve.”
Cooper took time to speak to the Compass this week about the anniversary and reflected on the society’s journey over the past five decades.
“It’s quite a landmark – 50 years” she said, “I think we help well over 1,000 animals a year now.”
Cooper explained that it takes a lot of money to rescue so many animals.
“I think it’s really an achievement that we’ve managed to keep going so long and hopefully in another 50 years, we’ll still be here.”
Considering the society’s many success stories over the years, Cooper said she was most proud of “the sheer number of animals we’ve helped”.
“It’s down in no small part to the number of volunteers, some of whom over the years have been incredibly dedicated,” she said.
Cooper also thanked the companies and individuals who have supported the society, adding that is something members really want to celebrate this week.
She said establishing a shelter back in the ’90s was another huge achievement, along with progress being made on a new larger shelter in West Bay.
The society has a lot of plans for the next 50 years as well as hopes for the evolution of animal welfare, the operations manager said.
Cooper wants all animals coming to the Cayman Islands to be spayed or neutered to diminish the overpopulation problem, as well as those already on the islands.
“I’d like to see that cultural shift…that it’s just a standard expectation that if you have a cat or a dog, you’ll get it fixed,” she said.
She also would like society to carry out more educational work in the community, and to support the reduction in heartworm in both cats and dogs.
Timeline
1972 – Vet Dr. Wallace Eagle invited anyone interested in alleviating the suffering of homeless or abused animals on Grand Cayman to attend a meeting on 26 Feb.
On 25 May, that year, another meeting was called to invite people to become official founding members of the Cayman Humane Society.
The first officers were Sarah Graham-Taylor, Yvonne ‘Lolly’ Reid, Patricia Higgins, Dr. D Kenneth Weston, Vernie Bernard, Jim Marchant and John Bothwell.
One of the founding members was Florence Malzahn ‘Mollie’ Butz, and Ardith Smith and family were involved in some of the earliest recorded rescues.
1973 – The Cayman Humane Society was officially registered as a not-for-profit organisation.
The first fundraising activities included the sale of Christmas cards, a book sale and a poolside cocktail party.
1975 – The cocktail party became an annual gala at the Seaview Hotel.
Jumble sales and fashion shows became a regular fundraising event. Second-hand fashion was used for the show.
The thrift shop opened on 22 Nov.
1976 – The government passed the Animals Law in June.
This was the first time controls were placed on the import of animals to the Cayman Islands, and provision was made for the licensing of dogs.
1978 – The Agricultural Dog Shows in Cayman began.
1988 – The Humane Society was helping 300 to 400 animals a year.
1989 – The thrift shop behind the library in George Town was badly damaged by Hurricane Gilbert.
1992 – The Humane Society started an annual dog show and also had a ‘doggy dash’.
1995 – Dog obedience classes were started, with Don and Barbara Moffett acting as instructors.
1996 – The Department of Agriculture ceased providing medical and surgical treatments for pets, leaving some pet owners depending on the Humane Society for veterinary care.
1997 – Volunteers started work on the shelter on North Sound Way. It was purchased by the Humane Society with the help of a large donation from Yolande Andrews.
1998 – The Book Loft, Cayman’s first second-hand book shop, opened on 2 May.
1999 – The first golf tournament to benefit the society was held, along with the first of many pet photo competitions.
The previous one-off ‘doggy dash’ became an annual dog walk, now known as the Walk and Wag.
2000 – The society got its first van.
That year then Governor Peter Smith and his wife visited the society and became honorary members.
The year also saw the beginning of the very popular dog wash events. These were a regular event for many years.
2002 – The Humane Society and the Sunset Fund of Cayman Brac started working together to support animals in the Sister Islands.
2004 – The group changed its name from the Cayman Humane Society to the Cayman Islands Humane Society.
2006 – The Humane Society opened a community spay-and-neuter clinic at the shelter.
2007 – By the end of this year, the society had provided 1,000 financially assisted spay-and-neuter surgeries.
2008 – In November 2006, the society got permission to begin construction on Noah’s Ark, a hurricane shelter for pets in Cayman Brac, and this was officially opened.
This work was partly funded by a variety concert held at the Brac Reef Beach Resort.
2010 – There was another music concert to raise funds for the society, with many local artists giving their time for free. This raised important funds to expand the shelter.
This year, the society also got a new van which was the beginning of the well-recognised yellow-and-red wrap advertising spay-and-neuter surgery.
2021 – The Humane Society developed relationships with other rescue organisations overseas, mainly in Canada and the US, to provide additional homes for animals.
56 dogs were sent overseas in the second half of the year.
2022 – 188 animals, both cats and dogs, were sent to international rescue partners.
This year, the Humane Society also employed a part-time vet in Cayman Brac to provide veterinary care for the Sister Islands.
2023 – The Genesis Trust (now Highvern) got planning permission to build the humane society a new purpose-built shelter in West Bay.
The society hopes it will get Building Control Unit approval early in 2024 and has been working closely with the architects to plan the new shelter.
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