SENATE JOINT RESOLUTION NO. 496 Offered February 9, 2007 Commending the Virginia Beach Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals on the occasion of its 40th anniversary. ----------
Patrons-- Stolle, Blevins, Miller, Rerras and Wagner; Delegates: Howell, A.T., Iaquinto, Purkey, Suit, Tata, Wardrup and Welch
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WHEREAS, the Virginia Beach Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA) celebrated its 40th anniversary in 2006; and

WHEREAS, the Virginia Beach SPCA was founded in 1966 and over the past 40 years the organization has saved, sheltered, rehabilitated, and treated hundreds of thousands of animals and initiated myriad programs and events to reach out to and educate the community about the humane treatment of animals; and

WHEREAS, some of the highlights of the Virginia Beach SPCA's 40-year history include playing an instrumental role in the development and enactment of the Virginia Animal Welfare Act (1977); opening Virginia's first full-service, low-cost veterinary clinic for low-income households (1981); collaborating on the successful effort to enact the state's first felony animal cruelty legislation (1999); and initiating Tidewater Partners for Animal Welfare and Sheltering, a partnership with all open-access shelters and pounds in the region (2004); and

WHEREAS, in addition to all its services that directly affect animals, the Virginia Beach SPCA has undertaken a wide array of innovative educational programs over the years including the Early Discoveries Program for at-risk four-year-olds; the "Living with your Wild Neighbors" forum, which addressed ways to humanely handle urban and suburban wildlife conflicts; the monthly Tails & Tots classes where two- to six-year-olds and their parents learn about pet care tips and activities; and the Listening Ears program, which uses animals to assist grade-school students who are reluctant readers; and

WHEREAS, there are a number of "firsts" among the Virginia Beach SPCA's many outstanding accomplishments such as being the first shelter in Virginia to spay or neuter all adopted animals, establishing Tidewater's first wildlife rehabilitation program and first pet therapy program, and being the first SPCA to win a Virginia State Reading Association Literacy Award; and

WHEREAS, the Virginia Beach SPCA has been ranked as the best animal charity in Virginia and third out of 245 such charities in the nation by Charity Navigator, a nonprofit organization that evaluates the activities and financial health of over five thousand charities; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED by the Senate, the House of Delegates concurring, That the General Assembly hereby commend and congratulate the Virginia Beach SPCA on the occasion of its 40th anniversary; and, be it

RESOLVED FURTHER, That the Clerk of the Senate prepare a copy of this resolution for presentation to the Virginia Beach SPCA as an expression of the General Assembly's admiration and gratitude for the important work it undertakes to protect animals and educate the citizens of the Commonwealth about the humane treatment of animals.