The old saying "it's a dog's life" does not mean what it used to. Today, animals of all kinds are shielded by state and Fed. laws and have been granted definite rights that help protect and keep them healthy. In addition, many of us are closer with their pets than in recent times, with a huge number asserting that they consider their animals to be part of the family. In reality, a day in the life of a pet may comprise visiting a spa or salon, being carried in a designer bag or wearing a jewel-encrusted collar-quite a different story from a hundred years back. Appear far-fetched? Routinely dog owners say they expended more than $263 on their four-footed buddies during the past twelve months ( excluding food costs ).

One reason for the improvement of animals' standard of living is that animal welfare setups like the ASPCA ( Yankee Society for forestalling Savagery to Animals ) have worked to switch the way folk think about and treat them.

Celebrating its 140th anniversary this year, the organisation is the oldest animal welfare organization in the Western Hemisphere. The organisation will mark its anniversary with a yearlong party highlighting the progress it has made for animals since it was set up by a NY City socialite in 1866.

The new initiative includes accelerating the requirement for adoptable shelter animals, while at the same time reducing the quantity of unwished-for litters being born. In addition, the organisation's "Meet-Your-Match" program is being remodeled and will more successfully pair new pet owners with shelter dogs and pussies. The group plans to grow its Humane Law Enforcement Department as well, permitting for more inquiries and arrests for animal brutality. "While our 140th year is shaping up to be one of extraordinary expansion, it is our sincerest hope the further we get from our date of inception, the closer we come to being an association that is not needed-that our work will have permeated society to the point the rights of companion animals will be 2nd nature to everyone," announced Ed Sayres, president & Chairperson , the ASPCA. There are far more than 140 million pet moggies and dogs in America.