ABSTRACT
History: Our Dumb Friends' League was established in London in 1897 by a small group of people who were anxious 'to encourage in individuals humanity to dumb animals, by education, co-operation and where desirable, grants of money'. In the first year alone, twenty three local branches were formed across the country, all of which reported to the League's headquarters at 164 Buckingham Palace Road, London. Administration was centred in the Grand Council, although the day to day administrative work was carried out by a committee composed of twenty members which was convened monthly. The annual subscription was set at 2/6-, while membership of the children's branch cost 1d a year. Much of the League's income, however, was derived from legacies, donations and fundraising. By the 1920s, the League was concentrating on six spheres of activity, known as the Special Funds, each of which was run by a committee chosen from the members of the Grand Council. Each Special Fund controlled its own finances but relied on the Grand Council for advances of capital. For the everyday administration of the League's finances, the Grand Council appointed a General Purposes Committee, made up of eight members. The most popular of the Special Funds was the Animal Hospital, opened on Hugh Street, Belgrave Road, London, in 1906. Three consulting veterinary surgeons, William Sewell, Alfred Sewell and F W Cousins, were appointed to the hospital, which provided veterinary treatment to those otherwise unable to afford it. During its first three years the hospital saw over 40,000 animals. The Drivers' and Horsekeepers' Fund provided working horses with waterproofs in winter and oatmeal and water in summer. It also maintained trace horses on several steep hills in and around London. The Blue Cross Fund was set up in 1912 to bring medical help and comforts to horses in the Balkan War, complementing the services already provided by the Red Cross to sick and injured soldiers. During the First World War, the Fund established a number of hospitals in France, which between them treated over 2800 horses in their first year. Similar hospitals were introduced in 1917 to treat the growing number of army dogs being used as messengers and watchers. The Blue Cross Fund also maintained a fleet of ambulances across London and beyond for the removal of injured horses from the roads, and kennels at Charlton which quarantined soldiers' dogs free of charge. Other Special Funds included the North London Dogs' Home,
established in 1912 to care for stray dogs, and the Receiving Shelters for Stray Cats. In 1950, Our Dumb Friends' League was renamed The Blue Cross. A new Centre and Head Office was opened at Shilton Road, Burford, in 1991. By 1999, the Blue Cross maintained four veterinary hospitals, three in London and one in Grimsby, North East Lincolnshire, employing 19 veterinary surgeons, 47 veterinary nurses and 27 support staff who between them treated 60,000 animals each year. In addition, eleven adoption centres across England re-homed some 8000 animals each year. The charity also operates a horse ambulance welfare service providing emergency care to injured horses at equestrian events.
