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Doing the Right Thing Before Summer Vacation
The 1920s and 1930s shifted the way animals entered shelters. Instead of it just being all strays that were picked up, now owner surrenders were on the rise. Learn about why.
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An Unfortunate Series of Events (or Why We Impound Every Stray)
Before a treatment for rabies, all stray dogs were widely regarded to be dangerous. Learn how the industrial revolution and tenement housing influenced how we chose to impound dogs, and how that effects us today.
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“Efforts Increase To Save Unlicensed Dogs”
This week in Barking at the Knot, I’m offering a complete reprinting of a New York Times article from 1984 which takes a look at the state of animal shelters on Long Island. This piece gives a thorough snapshot of one location during a pivotal point in time in animal shelters, 1984.
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The Red Star
The American Red Star set the stage for disaster response during World War one. Learn about the foundations of this division of the American Humane Association.
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The Dog Fancier
Dog breeding and it’s relationship to the humane movement and to animal shelters is complex and storied. Take a look at a 1910 issue of The Dog Fancier, a magazine meant for pure-bred enthusiasts and gain perspective on the origins of purebreds in America.
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The Battle of Island City Homes
This week in Barking at the Knot, we have a guest post from fellow animal welfare worker and history lover Cole Wakefield. Cole is the Executive Director at Good Shepherd Humane Society and the Managing Advisor for Rural Humane. Hear about how some young boys fought to save their dog in Galveston, Texas in 1957.
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How the Early Humane Movement Set a Precedent For Killing Animals
Today, I am bringing you a brief article from the January 1915 edition of The National Humane Review, which was the monthly periodical of the American Humane Association. I recently attended a gathering where someone asked why killing animals in shelters continues to be an acceptable solution for population control. I answered that question by…
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Ed Duvin’s “Unfinished Business”
This week, in a bit of a deviation from my usual content, I’m choosing to repost Ed Duvin’s 1999 essay “Unfinished Business” in it’s entirety. I have noticed that one of the few places I could go to find this essay has disappeared. I worry it will get lost if not preserved, so this is…
Barking at the Knot
Understanding the hidden history of animal services
Barking at the Knot 