Animal sheltering – Barking at the Knot

Number of Dogs Removed: 201

The history of intakes as a measure of a shelter’s success continues to influence the way we perceive the most important functions of animal services.

Audrey Lodato

October 22, 2025

1900s, Animal Welfare

ACOs, advocacy, american history, Animal Advocacy, animal control, Animal Rights History, animal shelter, animal shelter history, Animal sheltering, animal shelters, Animal Welfare, animal welfare history, animal-rights, animals, ASPCA, barking-at-the-knot, books, Cats, Compassionate animal care, Cruelis, Cruelism, cruelty, dog, dog catcher, Dog catchers, dogs, Early animal welfare movement, Ethics, Euthanasia, evolution, health, Henry Bergh, historical policy, history, History of Animal Welfare, Humane education, Humane exhibits., Humane Movement, hydrophobia, Impeachment, industrial revolution, John P. Haines, leaders, level setting, Livesaving, mandatory impoundment, Mercy to Animals, Morals, municipal shelter, New York City, new york times, news, newspapers, Periodicals, pets, philosophy, pound, Printing Press, Progress, public private partnerships, Rabies, Raising the bar, shelter intake, Shelter Reform, Social media, societal change, societal expectations, storytelling, strays, the future, the humane movement, The Importance of Level Setting in Animal Welfare, writing
Pussy Must Be Tagged; The S.P.C.A. Now Collects Dog Licenses

In 1895 as part of the transition to a public-private partnership to take on animal control, the ASPCA began enforcing the new dog licensing laws in New York City. Understanding why it happened is crucial to understanding why we still do it.

Audrey Lodato

September 18, 2025

1890s, Animal Welfare

ACOs, animal control, animal control officers, animal services, Animal sheltering, animal shelters, Animal Welfare, animal welfare history, animals, Cats, dog, Dog licenses, dog pounds, dogs, history, hydrophobia, licenses, new york, New York City, pets, Pounds, Rabies, Stray dogs, strays, the humane movement
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.

Audrey Lodato

August 6, 2025

Animal Welfare

animal control, Animal sheltering, Animal Welfare, animals, ASPCA, Caroline Earle White, dog, dogs, George Angell, Henry Bergh, history, industrial revolution, mandatory impoundment, Massachusetts, pets, Rabies, travel, Urbanization
“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.

Audrey Lodato

July 28, 2025

Animal Welfare

animal control, Animal sheltering, animal shelters, Animal Welfare, animals, dogs, historical policy, history, hydrophobia, long island, new york times, Rabies, writing
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…

Audrey Lodato

June 17, 2025

1980s, 1990s, Animal Welfare

animal control, Animal rights, Animal sheltering, Animal Welfare, animals, Cats, dogs, history, in the name of Mercy, No kill, pets, Progress, veganism

Number of Dogs Removed: 201

Pussy Must Be Tagged; The S.P.C.A. Now Collects Dog Licenses

An Unfortunate Series of Events (or Why We Impound Every Stray)

“Efforts Increase To Save Unlicensed Dogs”

Ed Duvin’s “Unfinished Business”