Nova Scotia Society for the Prevention of Cruelty  The Nova Scotia Society for the Prevention of Cruelty (Nova Scotia SPCA) is a not-for-profit charitable society organized under the "Animal Protection Act" of the Canadian province of Nova Scotia. The Society is dedicated to the prevention of cruelty to animals and to the promotion of respect and humane care for animals. Its members are committed to providing humane leadership in animal advocacy, protection, education, and veterinary care. The Nova Scotia Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals is involved solely with the prevention of cruelty to animals and the promotion of humane education. The Society maintains an education program which is available to provincial schools. It also has a resource center for students and teachers who want information on animal related topics. The Society is a charitable, non profit organization that is not funded by the government and is supported mainly by those people who are genuinely concerned with the welfare of animals. The Society relies almost entirely on support from the general public by way of donations, memberships and bequests. The organization's legal name is the "Nova Scotia Society for the Prevention of Cruelty," reflecting its history of both animal and child cruelty prevention. However, for the purpose of relating to the public and to reflect the current activities of the Society, the name "Nova Scotia Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (Nova Scotia SPCA)" is used for day-to-day business. Nova Scotia has the distinction of being the first place in North America to pass laws for the prevention of cruelty to animals. This was done in the year that Great Britain first enacted such laws - 1822. The acts of Nova Scotia in 1824 made provisions for public whipping to be the punishment for persons convicted of cruelty to animals. The Nova Scotia Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals became an incorporated Society in 1877. In 1880, the Society was vested with the authority to appoint agents that had all the power and authority by law conferred upon peace officers and constables to secure compliance with any Act to be enforced for the prevention of cruelty to animals. Also in 1880, the Society was authorized and empowered to organize branch societies, which are under the control and subject to the direction of the parent Society. Society records show many instances of the Society's protection of Nova Scotia animals:   In addition to protecting animals from cruelty, in 1880 the law was amended to authorize the Society to deal with cruelty to children under 16 years of age, as well as animals.