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Recommendations for Stray Dog Control in Relationship to Rabies: 1942
Mass vaccination of dogs to prevent rabies still wasn’t recommended by scientists in 1942. Learn why.
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Sarah Edwards and The Midnight Band of Mercy
In 1893, a group of well meaning cat ladies set upon Manhattan, chloroforming thousands of stray cats to death. This is the story of Sarah Edwards and the Midnight Bands of Mercy.
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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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Dear Letter-Box
Dear Letter-Box was a column featured in the ASPCA’s monthly periodical, “Our Animal Friends.” This column featured letters from children, and provides a glimpse into how children perceived both pets and the humane movement.
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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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“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 