Cats, Dogs and other people
Local historic cats shown in a Hastings old town pub
Under Dr Alex Lockwood, through the funding of the Culture and Animals Foundation there are currently audio podcast talks from several animal historians on animal welfare changes over the last 200 years – and the need for far more protection of animals
I gave an audio response which was summarised as “ We spoke this summer about the development of human-animal relations in the 18th and 19th centuries, and the many acts of ordinary people against cruelty to animals, that were also taking place even as the great and good were bringing legislation in parliament.”
This is not quite what I was stressing in the podcast but rather the protection of DOMESTIC animals after the 1822 Act often led to new legal changes. This often occurred through working class or local residents protecting cats and dogs in courts. Often ordinary people would contact the police, or personally attempt to stop those killing animals; and then appearing in court, as witnesses against those cruel attackers. They would also demonstrate and protest against such hostility.
There seemed to have been neither BBC recognition of Martin’s Act in 1822 or even accounts in mainstream newspapers. It hardly implies that awareness of the need for more assistance to animals seems well known…
Access audio podcast here – https://soundcloud.com/chart2050/cats-dogs-other-people-hilda-kean-martins-act
Leave a Reply