Charleston Animal Society’s 149th Celebration of Lifesaving Success took place Thursday, September 7, 2023 at Hotel Indigo in Mount Pleasant. Highlights included a special look back at how Charleston Animal Society led the way to Charleston County becoming the first No Kill Community in the Southeast 10 years ago. President and CEO Joe Elmore also gave a state of the organization address, which included an update on the planned campus expansion.

The evening was hosted by Board Member and News 2 Anchor Carolyn Murray and included a welcoming speech from Board Chair Laurel Greer.

Two awards were given out during the celebration. The highest honor Charleston Animal Society gives is the Elizabeth Bradham Humanitarian Award. This year we will recognize the work of the late D.P. Lowther who dedicated his life to saving the only native horse breed in South Carolina — the Marsh Tacky. The Elizabeth Bradham Humanitarian award is named for our former Board Chair who led us 10 years ago when we achieved No Kill Charleston and launched No Kill South Carolina.

This award recognizes an individual whose lifetime of work has significantly impacted and continues to impact the lives of countless animals in our local community and beyond.

Lowther dedicated his life to saving the carolina marsh tacky, a rare breed of horse that once roamed freely on south carolina’s barrier islands, but also a critically endangered horse and the only horse native to south carolina. The paths of charleston animal society and Lowther, first crossed in 2019.

That’s when at the age of 86, Lowther drove 150 miles roundtrip to come help rescue four Marsh Tackies at the shelter. Lowther’s grandson Daniel accepted the award on behalf of his grandfather.

This year’s Community Ambassador Award went to the Town of Mount Pleasant. This municipality has been a great partner to Charleston Animal Society and has provided key leadership among government entities in Charleston County by recognizing that the overwhelming majority of pet owners consider their animals part of their families.

Each year, Charleston Animal Society recognizes a business, organization or as in this year’s honoree – a municipality that goes above and beyond in
their support of the Animal Society’s lifesaving work.

The Town of Mount Pleasant has consistently demonstrated its support of Charleston Animal Society’s initiatives and activities over the years and has provided key support and, more importantly, recognition that animal care and control are public safety and health issues affecting the entire community and are best addressed through a public-private community partnership.

In addition, Charleston Animal Society nominated the town of Mount Pleasant as a certified city in the national Mars Petcare Better Cities for Pets program, which it successfully received in 2022.

Mayor Will Haynie, Town Council Members and Police Chief Mark Arnold accepted the Community Ambassador Award.