This collection consists of six series: Minutes, Correspondence, Printed Matter, Financial Documents, Legal Documents, and Miscellaneous. The Minutes series is the biggest. The League held regular monthly meetings. The set of minutes, however, is not complete and approximately half of the minutes contain no dates. Because the minutes without dates are handwritten, they may be notes, rather than completed copies. These records deal mostly with organizational matters. The printed material includes information about animal shelters, local animal control laws, and proper care for animals.
The Alexandria Animal Welfare League(AAWL) grew out of the Arlington League, which was founded in 1944. It held its meeting for foundation, and elected its initial officers in April 1946. Two months later the League incorporated. According to the by-laws, the organization's objectives were to: 1. Provide a temporary refuge for stray, homeless and deserted animals . . . 2. Receive and care for suffering animals . . . 3. End the suffering in a humane manner of any animal . . . 4. Prevent all forms of cruelty to animals . . . 5. Extend and maintain community interest in the welfare of all animals. . . 6. Cooperate with the City Government in the attainment of the foregoing objectives.
By the form of the records.