Non profit organization created to uphold the Pa large animal cruelty law.
Relies on public donations and grants to rehabilitate seized animals.

About the Large Animal Protection Society

Established in 1988, the Large Animal Protection Society (LAPS) is a nonprofit, state chartered, humane agency that has state authority to investigate cruelty complaints and prosecute offenders in order to enforce Pennsylvania’s animal cruelty laws in Chester, Delaware, and Lancaster counties. LAPS’ state-trained, court-authorized and badged Humane Society Police Officers provide a valuable community service by intervening in suspected cases of animal cruelty involving large animals. Similar to SPCAs that help dogs and cats, we use our facilities, equipment and experience with horses, donkeys, cows, pigs, goats, llamas, alpacas and sheep to take action in cases where the local, small-animal SPCA cannot.

In February of 1988, nine people gathered to form a new humane organization, the Large Animal Protection Society. Most had been members of the Large Animal Auxiliary of the Chester County SPCA, and all had many years of experience in caring for large animals. Their goals, as stated in the charter were specific: “to protect large animals from abuse, neglect or cruelty through education, abuse investigation and arranging adoptions.”