Barking at the Knot

Barking at the Knot

Understanding the hidden history of animal services

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  • “Mercy to Animals Means Mercy to Mankind.”

    Of all the founders of the animal welfare movement, none were so colorful in their public application of the first anti-cruelty laws as Henry Bergh, the founder of the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals in New York. Fairly, he had a right to be colorful with the law; He is the…

    Audrey Lodato

    May 20, 2025
    Animal Welfare
    Animal Welfare, animal-rights, animals, ASPCA, Carriage Horses, Henry Bergh, history, Mercy to Animals, New York City, news, travel, Victorian New York
  • “That of God in Every Man.”

    Humane Movement founder Caroline Earle White was influenced in her approach to animal advocacy by both religion and her family’s abolitionist background.

    Audrey Lodato

    May 12, 2025
    Animal Welfare
    19th century animal welfare, Abolitionist Influence, American Anti-Vivisection Society, Animal Advocacy, animal control, Animal Cruelty Prevention, Animal Rights History, Animal Welfare, animals, Caroline Earle White, Cats, Compassionate animal care, dogs, Early animal welfare movement, history, History of Animal Welfare, hydrophobia, Journal of Zoophily, leaders, legacy, level setting, Origins of Animal Welfare Movement in America, Pennsylvania SPCA, powerful women, Quaker religion, Quakers, Rabies, Raising the bar, Shelter Reform, the future, The Importance of Level Setting in Animal Welfare, The Role of Religion in Animal Welfare History, Vivisection
  • “I am Working at the Roots.”

    George Angell believed in education over enforcement. His community minded belief system makes him my favorite animal welfare hero.

    Audrey Lodato

    May 5, 2025
    Animal Welfare
    animal control, Animal Welfare, animals, dogs, Emily Appleton, Ethics, George T. Angell, history, Humane education, Massachusetts, Morals, philosophy
  • The Journal of Zoophily

    The Journal of Zoophily was the periodical of the American Anti-Vivisection society. It gives a fascinating glimpse into the movement.

    Audrey Lodato

    April 28, 2025
    Animal Welfare
    Animal Welfare, animals, Anti-vivisection, blog, Cats, dogs, gilded-age, history, hydrophobia, newspapers, Periodicals, pets, Philadelphia, Zoophily
  • How Corruption of Children Contributed to the Advent of Paid Animal Control Officers

    Our first dog catchers were children catching strays for a 50 cent rabies bounty. Did this corrupt their morals?

    Audrey Lodato

    April 21, 2025
    1870s, Animal Welfare
    animal control, Animal Welfare, animals, ASPCA, books, Dog catchers, dogs, fiction, history, Rabies
  • Throw Him in the Sea or Some Early Things That Didn’t Cure Rabies.

    Very early cures for hydrophobia were certainly creative. Learn about some of the more interesting ones.

    Audrey Lodato

    April 17, 2025
    Animal Welfare
    Animal Welfare, barking-at-the-knot, history, hydrophobia, Rabies
  • Hydrophobia and the Early Role of Health Departments in Dog Licensing

    Rabies had a lot more to do with the reason that we license dogs than you might think. Licensing is solving for a problem we no longer have – find out why.

    Audrey Lodato

    April 13, 2025
    1870s, 1880s, 1890s, Animal Welfare
    animal control, Animal Welfare, dogs, hydrophobia, Massachusetts, pasteur institute, Rabies
  • Henry Bergh was a Vaccine Denier?

    The early founders of our movement were very strictly anti-rabies vaccine.

    Audrey Lodato

    April 7, 2025
    Animal Welfare
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