Portage Animal Protective League History

The Portage Animal Protective League began as a grassroots effort in the early 1950's by several concerned and caring area residents who deplored the plight of stray and unwanted animals in Portage County. These founders, spearheaded by Letha Bullock, rescued the abused, abandoned and injured animals and used their own resources to have them cared for by local veterinarians until homes could be found for them. Initially, APL animals were housed at Dr. L.R. Richardson’s animal hospital in Ravenna. He helped care for the animals along with the assistance Dr. Fred Banks.

In the spring of 1955, several of the founders, including Dorothy Chapman, LeeNora Flechtner, Paul Flechtner, Helen Ryan, Barbara Sutliff, and Donald Echnat oversaw the process of creating the first, nonprofit, humane organization in the county when they filed the articles of incorporation with the state attorney general. The APL's first formal home was a barn behind the county home on Infirmary Road very close to where the new shelter is today.

During the first four years of its existence the APL handled over 12,000 animals. In 1958 alone, it cared for 1,994 dogs and 936 cats. It also cared for numerous rabbits, skunks, goats, chickens, ducks, pigeons and raccoons. (Today the APL only handles domestic animals. State law forbids the keeping of wild animals such as raccoons and skunks as pets.) It found homes for as many animals as possible; investigated cruelty cases and began making plans for a new shelter located on Lake Street in Ravenna. Its home for the next 40 plus years.

In his November 2, 1959 letter to members, President Paul Flechtner said, "With the construction of the new shelter at the corner of E. Lake St and New Milford Rd in Ravenna, a new era of Animal Welfare and Control will come to Portage County."

But as the population of the county grew, so did the need for a newer and larger shelter.

In 1999, the APL started a capital campaign to raise money for a new building. The late Dr. Charles Beutel served as co-chair of the campaign and along with many volunteers, staff and board members, helped raise the funds for the new $750,000 building that the APL moved into in December of 2002. Another new era of animal welfare and control was begun. An era that includes proactive efforts to spay/neuter as many animals as possible in order to reduce pet over population; aggressive prosecution of animal cruelty cases; the adoption of the "no kill" philosophy of not putting an adoptable pet to death in order to make room in the shelter for another animal; and the development of community educational outreach programs which help strengthen the ever important bond between humans and animals.

Thanks to all the people, past and present, who made this dream of 50 years ago a reality.

A reality that lives today and will continue into the future.