Jacksonville humane society

JHS History JHS was founded in 1885 to serve Jacksonville and outlying areas in an animal control capacity. In 2005, JHS officially became a no-kill shelter. Shortly after, a coalition was formed to make Jacksonville a no-kill city. In 2014, the goal became a reality and Jacksonville became the nation’s largest no-kill city.  JHS opened our new Adoption, Education and Pet Help Center in 2017 on our Beach Boulevard property. JHS first moved onto this land in 1920 and has been operating on its grounds since. The land was donated as a gift from the Bowden family. Ms. Flora Genth Bowden, a local animal advocate, was one of the first founders and the society’s first President. A fire in 2007 destroyed most of the property but with the support of our community, donors and friends, the new building is now open.

Managed by the U.S. Forest Service, our National Forests host 170 million visits every year. Visitor spending pumps $13.5 billion into our economy annually, sustaining nearly 223,000 jobs in gateway communities.  These lands are the foundation of America’s outdoor recreation heritage and sustain our way of life. They provide water to millions Americans in thousands of communities, clean our air, store carbon, and provide timber, minerals, oil and gas and other resources for industry and communities.