The mission of Humane Society Naples is to shelter animals in times of need, locate life- long homes and promote responsible pet ownership through education, legislation and sterilization.
In the early days of Collier County up through the late 1950s there was no local organization to care for lost, injured or abandoned pets. Eventually, concerned citizens pooled their resources to form an organization to care for the area’s homeless pets. In 1960, that organization was formalized as The Humane Society of Naples with Lois House as the founding President. In 1962, Lori Keller was elected president (and would remain in that position for the next ten years). Humane Society volunteers kept strays in their homes and garages until architect Walter Keller donated plans and money was raised to build HSN’s first shelter and adoption center. In March of 1963, HSN’s first shelter building opened and filled up quickly. Then in 1965, improvements were made to increase space by adding a quarantine area and indoor/outdoor kennels. In July, 2010, Humane Society Naples celebrated the grand opening of a $4.5 million state-of-the-art shelter and adoption center. Its first ever Satellite Adoption Center opened at Coastland Center Mall in the fall of 2011.
In addition to its shelter and adoption functions, The Humane Society Naples conducts numerous outreach programs at schools and to civic or homeowners organizations to promote responsible pet ownership, including pet sterilization. Recognizing that spaying and neutering are the best ways to reduce the unwanted pet population, The Humane Society offers a low or no-cost pet sterilization for low-income pet guardians. Additionally, every pet that is adopted at HSN does not leave the Adoption Center until it is sterilized.