The poignant story behind the Lort Smith Animal Hospital, and the women who were its driving force. Based on a desire to alleviate the suffering of animals irrespective of profits, this group of society women established the Animal Welfare League of Victoria, and then the Lort Smith Animal Hospital. Staging fundraisers, fighting battles, and dealing with the intricacies of human relationships along the way, these inspiring women - supported by the kindness of strangers - ensured that the plight of animals was not forgotten during the struggling years of the Depression. Compiled from minutes, newspaper clippings, and interviews, Felicity Jack has pieced together the alliances, disputes, and heartfelt stories which saw this North Melbourne institution develop from humble beginnings into the highly regarded animal hospital it is today.