Humane Society of Vero Beach & Indian River County celebrates 70 years' service to animals

INDIAN RIVER COUNTY −While it’s been 70 years since the Humane Society of Vero Beach and Indian River County was founded, its core mission, to protect vulnerable animals in the county, is stronger than ever.

Since 1953, the agency has been a leading animal welfare organization, providing humane shelter, adoption, spay and neuter, and other programs and services to the animals in the community.

It is one of the oldest nonprofit agencies in Indian River County.

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Founded by Peggy Kuster and a group of concerned citizens and devoted animal lovers, the original organization, called the Animal Protective Society of Vero Beach, Inc., was incorporated in November 1953.

Since then, those working at the nonprofit have served homeless, at-risk, and injured pets and the people who love them.

In a newspaper article from the day, Kuster is quoted as saying she and her volunteers founded the animal welfare agency after seeing the “deplorable conditions” at the old Vero Beach city dog pound. Kuster said animals were housed in a small, wooden World War II Navy building at the Vero Beach Municipal Airport. Water dripped from rusty pipes; food was scarce; animals were covered in ticks; and many suffered from other diseases.

By 1969, the Animal Protective Society of Vero Beach changed its name to the Humane Society of Vero Beach and began expanding programs throughout the community. For the first time in Indian River County history, lost and unwanted animals were given caring treatment, a clean place to live and no animal was turned away.

A 2000-square-foot building on Commerce Avenue in Vero Beach served as the original shelter building. It later moved to 4701 41st St. in Vero Beach. The current 43,00-square-foot building on 36 acres is on 77th Street between 66th and 58th avenues and includes an intake building, an education and adoption center, a community clinic, a dog park and a small retail operation for pet medications.

Executive Director Kate Meghji said over the past 15 to 20 years, there has been a shift away from an intense focus on spay and neutering toward more efforts on pet health and illness prevention.

“We are seeing more behavioral and health issues in animals,” said Meghji. “So we need to be looking at ways to solve these problems. We’re focusing on what works, what doesn’t work, and giving people options to keep their pets when situations within families arise.”

Meghji is hopeful the next 70 years will see animal welfare programs improve even more so every family that wants a pet is able to have one and care for it.

“I love focusing on ways for the community to enjoy the human-animal bond,” said Meghji. “With the changing needs of our rapidly growing community, the Humane Society will continue to innovate, grow partnerships and continue to strive to improve and save lives.

"While the needs are going to change, let’s just imagine a world where there are no unwanted pets. Wouldn’t that be just great?”

Janet Begley is a local freelance writer for TCPalm.com. If you like articles like this and other TCPalm coverage of Treasure Coast news, please support our journalism and subscribe.

This article originally appeared on Treasure Coast Newspapers: Humane Society of Vero Beach & Indian River County celebrates 70 years