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“Those Dissatisfied with the Conduct of Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals”: The Henry Bergh Society, Part One
Advocacy can get ugly. Read about the Henry Bergh Humane Society and their efforts to oust A.S.P.C.A. President John P. Haines from his post in the early 1900s.
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The Poster Primer
In 1924, The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, in conjunction with the New York Women’s League for Animals, held a poster contest for children to promote kindness to animals. While contests like this were common, the preservation of the posters themselves were not. However, the winning posters from this particular batch…
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A Shelter for Animals – The First Annual Report
Five months after the opening of the Shelter for Animals in Brooklyn, the ASPCA issued their thirtieth annual report. It contained some of the first ever intake and outcome data for shelters.
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President’s Report, Women’s Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals.
The topics covered in the President’s report of the Women’s SPCA in 1909 covered all manner of topics – A paper on hydrophobia, a committee comprised of women overseeing animal control officers in Philadelphia, the management of bequests, and a very dark cartoon.
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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.
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A Shelter for Animals
In 1895, the ASPCA had taken over animal control for the city of New York. This cemented a path for a more humane model of public – private partnership. Tour their shelter via a New York Times article.
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Mad Stones
An odd folk cure; the stone from the stomach of a cud chewing animal is applied to the bite of a rabid animal in order to cure hydrophobia. The history of mad stones is just as interesting as the practice itself.
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“Madness of Dog Days” or Newspaper Hydrophobia
“Dog Days” is a term that refers to the period of time in the summer between July and August when it was assumed that rabies was most prevalent in dogs (and in cities.) While it might not be surprising to see an article debating this fact published by the APSCA, you WILL be surprised to…
Barking at the Knot
Understanding the hidden history of animal services
Barking at the Knot 