Over 130 years ago, a group of animal lovers in Windham County formed a society dedicated to the welfare of animals. Mrs. Jennie B. Powers, a now famous figure in Vermont and New Hampshire history, served as humane agent for both Windham County, VT and Cheshire County, NH. Armed with the powers of a deputy sheriff, she worked in defense of animals. She once jumped from a window in her Brattleboro home and stopped a man from beating his horses. At the freight yards she watched the loading of cattle, inspecting them on the cars. She fought in a court case at her own expense against a man charged with starving his horse.

In the early 1980's the Humane Society was just an office downtown, with no animals. From 1989 to 1991, offices were rented at Linda and Henry Hellus' farm. In 1992, the Humane Society moved to a cottage on Route 30, and the animals were housed in two adjacent small buildings. In 2000, a new building was erected on the same property, and this is where it exists today. The Windham County Humane Society continues their mission of protecting and caring for the animals who share our lives.

The Windham County Humane Society is a non-profit organization. This means that they rely solely on our community to support and assist them with their programs to care for the animals of Windham County, Vermont.

The best way to prevent animal abuse and homelessness is to educate people - especially children - to respect animals and care for them properly. The WCHS offers free educational presentations to local schools and community groups. These sessions may be held at your location or at the shelter. Topics include pet care, the pet-human connection, basic training, dog bite prevention and more.

WCHS helps lost, stray or abandoned pets by giving them a second chance at a healthy, happy life. Last year alone, we placed over 600 pets into loving homes.
All animals who come to the shelter receive the best of care, including full medical exam and vaccinations against disease. And because we are committed to reducing the number of unwanted animals in Windham County, we also spay or neuter all new arrivals, at our expense.
No animal coming through our doors is ever given a time limit. We give each pet the opportunity to wait for the right family to arrive.