The Waverly Humane Society falls under the following definitions:
Non-Profit Organization
Humane Society
Animal Shelter
Animal Welfare
Open Door Shelter
No Kill
Rescue
Non-profit organization: An incorporated organization which exists for educational or charitable reasons, and from which its shareholders or trustees do not benefit financially. also called not-for-profit organization.
An organization who is not incorporated as a non-profit can still call themselves "non-profit" if they do not strive to make a profit from their business but they are not a true, legal non-profit organization. Always ask questions and research before giving your hard earned money to an organization. Guidestar lists all non-profit organizations.
Dealer: One that is engaged in buying and selling: a used-car dealer; a drug dealer.
According to the Iowa Code: "Dealer" means any person who is engaged in the business of buying for resale or selling or exchanging dogs or cats, or both, as a principal or agent, or who claims to be so engaged.
Class A breeders are licensed by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to sell animals bred specifically for research
Class B dealers are licensed by the USDA to buy animals from "random sources." This refers to animals who were not purpose-bred or raised on the dealers' property.[4][2] Animals from "random sources" come from auctions, pound seizure, newspaper ads, and a small number may be stolen pets or illegally trapped strays.
To set free, as from danger or imprisonment; save. See Synonyms at save1. Law To take from legal custody by force. An act of rescuing; a deliverance. Law Removal from legal custody by force. An animal rescue group or animal rescue organization is dedicated to pet adoption. These groups take unwanted, abandoned, abused, or stray pets and attempt to find suitable new homes for them. Many rescue groups are created by and run by volunteers, who take the animals into their homes and care for them—including training, playing, handling medical issues, and solving behavior problems—until a suitable permanent home can be found. A rescue can be run from an individual's home where the animal has a home experience until a new home is found, or a rescue can be run similarly to a boarding kennel or animal shelter where the animal has a kennel experience until a new home is found. So what IS the definition of "rescue" in this instance? Some will say they are rescuing an animal from a poor home. Some will say they are rescuing an animal from euthanasia in a kill shelter. Some may be rescuing an animal from life on the streets. Regardless of how or why we do it, we are accepting an animal into our home or shelter and we are caring for that animal until a suitable home is found. "Foster care home” means a private residence that is authorized to provide temporary shelter and care for an animal which has been accepted by a fostering oversight organization. “Fostering oversight organization” means a registered animal shelter or a registered pound, as defined in Iowa Code chapter 162, which has been authorized by the department to utilize foster care homes in its operation.
rescue
–verb (used with object)
1.
to free or deliver from confinement, violence, danger, or evil.
2.
Law. to liberate or take by forcible or illegal means from lawful custody.
3.
the act of rescuing.
1. liberate, release, save, redeem, ransom, extricate, recover. 3. liberation, deliverance, release, redemption, recovery.
res·cue
(rěs'kyōō) 
tr.v. res·cued, res·cu·ing, res·cues
n.
Broker: An individual or firm which acts as an intermediary between a buyer and seller, usually charging a commission. For securities and most other products, a license is required. A person who buys puppies from a puppy mill and sells them to a pet store, is a broker.
Humane Society: an organization promoting kindness to animals: an organization that promotes the compassionate treatment of animals. Just because there is a HSUS (Humane Society of the United States) it does not mean that they are "in charge" of all Humane Societies. Any organization can be a Humane Society. It is just another name.
Animal Shelter: An animal shelter is a facility that houses homeless, lost or abandoned animals; primarily a large variety of dogs and cats. The animal is kept at the shelter until it is either reclaimed by an owner, adopted to a new owner or placed with another organization.
According to the Iowa Code:
"Animal shelter" means a facility which is used to house or contain dogs or cats, or both, and which is owned, operated, or maintained by an incorporated humane society, animal welfare society, society for the prevention of
cruelty to animals, or other nonprofit organization devoted to the welfare, protection, and humane treatment of such animals.
Open Door Shelter: An Open Door Policy means the shelter accepts all animals every day. Even the ones whose health, personality, breed or age is not ideal. Even the ones other shelters turn away. The Waverly Humane Society strives to be an Open Door Shelter.
Animal Sanctuary: An animal sanctuary is a facility where animals are brought to live and be protected for the rest of their lives. Unlike animal shelters, sanctuaries do not seek to place animals with individuals or groups, instead maintaining each animal until his or her natural death.
Animal welfare: refers to the viewpoint that it is morally acceptable for humans to use nonhuman animals for food, in animal research, as clothing, and in entertainment, so long as unnecessary suffering is avoided. The position is contrasted with the animal rights position, which holds that other animals should not be used by, or regarded as the property of, humans.
Animal rights: also known as animal liberation, is the idea that the most basic interests of animals should be afforded the same consideration as the similar interests of human beings.[1] Animal rights advocates approach the issue from different philosophical positions, but they agree that animals should no longer be regarded as property, or used as food, clothing, research subjects, or entertainment, but should instead be viewed as legal persons and members of the moral community
Puppy mills, sometimes known as puppy farms[1], are large-scale dog breeding facilities that operate under substandard breeding conditions,[2][3] causing the development of chronic health problems, temperament issues, and hereditary defects in puppies that come from the mills.[2]
The term can be applied to operations involving other animals irresponsibly bred for profit, e.g. "kitty mills."[4] Animals that have been produced in mills are most commonly sold at pet stores to unsuspecting consumers.
According to the Iowa Code:
"Commercial breeder" means a person, engaged in the business of
breeding dogs or cats, who sells, exchanges, or leases dogs or
cats in return for consideration, or who offers to do so,
whether or not the animals are raised, trained, groomed, or
boarded by the person. A person who owns or harbors three or fewer breeding males or females is not a commercial breeder. Backyard breeding
The term backyard breeder is a general term, used in USA to describe people who breed animals without selection for important genetic traits. Usually describes those who allow animals, particularly dogs or horses, to procreate regardless of physical or genetic health. Often the offspring inherit genetic defects, behavior or temperament issues and may or may not even resemble the breed they supposedly represent.
Responsible Breeder
A breeder is a person who practices mating carefully selected specimens of the same breed to reproduce specific, consistently replicable qualities and characteristics. A responsible dog breeder will test the parents prior to breeding for any inherited genetic defects. Most also exhibit their animals at dog or cat shows to earn titles and prove that the animal is a fantastic example of their breed and type. Offspring can generally be expected to look and act like the parents.
SPCA (Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals)
Anyone can name their organization using SPCA. The ASPCA is a stand alone organization. Just because SPCA is in the name doesn't mean they have to follow a National set of rules, they are not governed by the ASPCA.
TNR, T-N-R, Trap, Neuter, Release; This is using a live trap to catch feral (wild) cats so they can be neutered or spayed, vaccinated and rehomed in a more appropriate area.
Who's Who in Animal Rescue
by Barbara McGrady of www.spaohio.org (Society for the Protection of Animals)
I wrote the following in an effort to clear up the often misunderstood questions concerning ...
One of the biggest misconceptions is that local humane societies are branches of the Humane Society of the United States. This is NOT true.
There is an SPCA (Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals International) and an ASPCA (American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals). There is NOT a national SPCA organization, although there are lots of independent local SPCA's across the U.S.
Jennifer McKim, an SPCA International representative, clarifies by stating, "Every SPCA throughout the world is individually operated and not associated with one another. Although we share a common name, there is not an organization that oversees all SPCA’s. Each one of us have our own programs that focus to help animals on a different level. SPCA International is one of the only organizations that help shelters and animals worldwide."
In other words, local SPCA's have nothing to do with SPCA International or with each other. They were all independently formed. Some ARE KILL, some are no kill.
All have local board members with individual ideas and concepts concerning animal rescue. They may have eight members, or eight hundred members.
When moving to a new location don't assume that just because the humane society in the city from which you're moving was a wonderful facility that the humane society (or any other rescue organization) in the city you are moving to will be the same.
Not one SPCA in the United States is above any other SPCA regardless of what their name might imply. For instance, NEVADA SPCA is not in charge of other SPCA's in Nevada. Rather, they simply selected Nevada SPCA for their name. FYI - NEVADA SPCA is genuinely a no-kill organization.
When taking a stray cat or dog to a shelter ask directly if the animal will be euthanized.
I recently called a well-known, larger humane society and inquired, "If I bring an older, adult cat in will she be euthanized?" This humane society receives a great deal of media coverage and everyone believes they are a no kill organization.
"All animals that become part of our adoption program are not euthanized," the humane society representative replied.
Tricky answer. At this point most people would feel satisfied that the cat would be safe if dropped off at this humane society... an incorrect assumption.
I continued by asking, "Would the cat I want to bring in become part of your adoption program?"
"Well, that all depends," she said.
I then inquired, "What happens to the animals that are brought in when there is not room in your adoption program for them?"
After a long pause, she responded, "THEY ARE EUTHANIZED."
Don't be afraid to ask animal rescue organizations specific questions about their shelter's policies, if, in fact, they have a shelter. It is becoming more and more common for groups to house animals in foster homes until adopted.
The bottom line is this... there are incredible rescues and there are rescues that should NOT be allowed to advertise as such. You can visit a specific organization' s web page and think that you are sending an animal to the best place this side of heaven when in reality the animal might be chained to a dog house and forced to live in filth.
When you donate to a rescue organization make certain that their ethics are agreeable with yours.
Never assume. Always investigate. Ask questions.
Thanks to Wikipedia and other various websites for these definitions.