Barking at the Knot

Barking at the Knot

Understanding the hidden history of animal services

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  • Animals in the Service of Man: A Humane Education Video from 1944

    Animals in the Service of Man was an educational video for children produced by the American Humane Association and shown as part of the humane ed curriculum in the 1940s.

    Audrey Lodato

    January 13, 2026
    1940s, Animal Welfare
    28 hour law, 36 hour law, AHA, animal control, Animal Education, Animal rights, animal shelters, Animal Welfare, animals, Animals in the Service of Man, ASPCA, beef industry, cats cows, Cattle, Children and pets, dog, Dog bathing, dogs, George Woolsey, health, history, Humane Ed, Humane education, hydrophobia, Old moves, Old movies, pets, Rabies, teaching, World War Two, writing
  • The Resignation of John P. Haines: The Henry Bergh Humane Society, Part Five

    The conclusion of the tale of the Henry Bergh Humane Society – John P. Haines resigns amid pressure from the press and advocates.

    Audrey Lodato

    December 9, 2025
    1900s, Animal Welfare
    1904, 1905, 1906, advocacy, American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, animal control, Animal Welfare, animals, ASPCA, dogs, Gilded Age, health, history, Hiumane Movement, Humane reform, Muckracking, politics, print media, The Henry Bergh Humane Society, The Reformers Association ASPCA, writing
  • In the Arms of the Angel: The Strange History of Sadvertising

    As an industry, we’ve often resorted to shocking imagery to relate to the public. But why? The history of Sadvertising has unexpected roots.

    Audrey Lodato

    November 28, 2025
    1980s, 1990s, Animal Welfare
    Advertising, animal control, animal shelters, Animal Welfare, animals, Cats, dogs, history, In the arms of the angel, pets, Sadvertising, Sarah McLaughlin, Shock and horror, Spay and neuter, The ASPCA, the humane movement, Transparency, Transparent, writing
  • “Lay Low and Say Nuffin’”: The Henry Bergh Humane Society, Part Four

    A bill is introduced in Albany to give the Henry Bergh Humane Society the legal right to enforce the law in New York City. Opinions in the papers heat up.

    Audrey Lodato

    November 26, 2025
    1910s, Animal Welfare
    A.S.P.C.A., Albany, animal control, Animal Welfare, animals, ASPCA, Barking at the Knot, Cats, dogs, Gilded Age, history, horses, Humane Movement, hydrophobia, John P. Haines, Muckracking, news, pets, politics, Rabies, The Henry Bergh Humane Society, The Newspapers, writing
  • Plans for Aggressive Work Well Developed: The Henry Bergh Humane Society, Part Three

    With an agenda set for work and a plan to bring a bill forward to challenge the A.S.P.C.A.’s right to be the sole provider of services in New York, The Henry Bergh Humane Society sets a path for it’s future.

    Audrey Lodato

    November 20, 2025
    1900s, Animal Welfare
    1900s, advocacy, animal control, Animal Welfare, animals, articles, ASPCA, christianity, dogs, Early ASPCA History, history, Humane Movement, Muckraking, New York City, pets, politics, Rabies, The ASPCA, the Henry Bergh Society, writing
  • 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
  • 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.

    Audrey Lodato

    October 2, 2025
    1870s, 1880s, 1890s, Animal Welfare
    animal control, Animal Welfare, animals, anime, ASPCA, books, Cats, Children, Dear Letterbox, dogs, featured, history, horses, John P. Haines, Kids, Kittens, life, New York City, Our Animal Friends, strays, the humane movement, writing
  • 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.

    Audrey Lodato

    September 14, 2025
    Animal Welfare
    animal control, Animal Welfare, animals, appalachia, bezoar, crystals, dogs, folk lore, folklore, healing, historical remedies, history, hydrophobia, lithography, mad stones, northern scotland, ozarks, pets, poison, serpent stones, snake stones, travel, writing
  • How One Potentially Rabid Cow Story Went Viral in 1865, Pun Definitely Intended.

    A cow bitten by a dog seven years ago causes six children to die after drinking her milk. Was she rabid? Find out why this story went viral in 1865.

    Audrey Lodato

    September 5, 2025
    1860s, Animal Welfare
    animal control, Animal Welfare, animals, cows, dogs, fiction, food, history, hydrophobia, Iowa, newspapers, Periodicals, pets, Printing Press, Rabies, Sensationalism, travel, Victorian america, Wisconsin, writing
  • Statistics Related to the Cruelty Practiced Upon Animals or Happy Birthday Henry Bergh

    On a stormy night in 1865, Henry Bergh gave a speech in Clinton Hall in New York City that set the stage for the formation of the ASPCA. Find out what he talked about.

    Audrey Lodato

    August 26, 2025
    1860s, Animal Welfare
    Animal Welfare, animals, ASPCA, books, Clinton Hall, Cruelis, Cruelism, dogs, history, Humane Movement, hydrophobia, philosophy, religion, The NY sun, West village, writing
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