Barking at the Knot

Barking at the Knot

Understanding the hidden history of animal services

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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…

    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
  • In Their Own Words

    As the humane movement began to establish itself and spread westward, with humane societies establishing themselves alongside new states, we see a frequently used tactic in the efforts to educate around appropriate treatment for animals; Stories and literature written from the first hand perspective of the animal themselves. The theory was that through anthropomorphism, empathy…

    Audrey Lodato

    June 9, 2025
    1870s, 1880s, 1890s, Animal Welfare
    animal control, Animal Welfare, animals, beautiful joe, black beauty, books, collie, dog catcher, dogs, fiction, George Angell, history, horses, Massachusetts, our dumb animals, reading, tail docking
  • The Humane Movement at the Centennial Exposition

    The Centennial Exposition in Philadelphia was one of the hallmark moments of Victorian America, and the Humane Movement showed up to gain support. Find out what they exhibited.

    Audrey Lodato

    June 4, 2025
    1870s, Animal Welfare
    animal control, Animal Welfare, animals, ASPCA, Centennial exposition, dogs, George Angell, Henry Bergh, history, Humane exhibits., Massachusetts, Victorian america, Victorians, Zoophily
  • “Automatic Electric Cage”

    The humane movement never began with the intention to provide live outcomes. It began with the intention to provide humane death.

    Audrey Lodato

    May 27, 2025
    1910s, Animal Welfare
    Animal Advocacy, animal control, Animal Welfare, animal-rights, animals, cruelty, dogs, evolution, health, history, Humane Movement, Massachusetts, pets, Rabies, Zoophily
  • “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
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