The History of Animal Rights and Animal Welfare ~ When did people start caring?

History of Animal Rights

Animal Rights History

Animals do not have the means to protect their rights, so, for centuries people and society have been their voice.

Animal rights started the controversial issues of Animal Welfare, Animal Cruelty and Animal Protection. How did it ALL begin?

The Beginning

The History of Animal Rights began centuries ago paving the way for our animals today.

[BCE-330] Ancient Animal Rights
[330-1485] Middle Ages
(1485-1660] Early Anti-Cruelty Legislation
(1660-1785) Pleas for animal protection
[1785-1837] Romantic Age - Modern Legislative Beginnings
[1837-1901] Anti-Cruelty /Anti-Vivisection
[1901-1945] Early 20th C.Continuing Animal Protection

History of Animal Rights ~ 16th Century ~

The 16th Century was significant in regards to the way people "started" to think about animals.
- Philosophy, Anthropology and Religion played a huge role in the way people "thought" about our animal world.
- Do animals feel what we feel, do they feel pain and discomfort even though they cannot speak?
- Rene' Descartes stated "animals have no mind, soul, or reason, therefore they are not conscious and cannot suffer"
- Michel de Montaigne thought differently, "Why should we think that they have inner natural instincts different fromanything we experience in ourselves?"
- Jeremy Bentham "The question is not, Can they reason? nor Can they talk? but Can they suffer?"
  
  History of Animal Rights ~ 17th Century ~
  - 1635 ~ The first known legislation against animal cruelty was in Ireland called, "Thomas Wentworth's Act of 1635", which prohibited working horses being pulled by their tails and pulling (rather than shearing) wool from live sheep. First known animal rights law in history.
  - 1641 ~ The first legal code to protect domestic animals in North America was passed by the Massachusetts Bay Colony
  - 1654 ~ Oliver Cromwell, a political leader during the English Civil War disliked blood sports. Sports such as cockfighting, dog fighting, bull baiting and bull running. He passed a law to prohibit this action, unfortunately when his term was up in 1659 his law was overturned. Bull baiting remained lawful for another 162 years, until it was outlawed in 1822 with the "Martin's Act"
    
    History of Animal Rights ~ 18th Century ~
    
    This century in time involved the way people perceived and viewed animals. A rise in the sensitivity and respect for animals as living creatures.
    - 1754 ~ Jean-Jacques Rousseau, a French Philosopher argued that sensitivity (the capacity to experience pleasure and suffering) generates rights.
    - 1791 ~ Dane Laurids Smith a philosopher, clergyman, and author, wrote a book called, "Attempted Systematic Treatise on the Obligations of Humans toward Animals". The book testifies to a great respect for animals and represents an attempt to create an understanding for their humane treatment.
      Philosophy, Anthropology, Religious and Groups may all have different ways of thinking and beliefs, but it all comes down to this:
      
      Animals ARE SENSITIVE creatures, they experience pain and suffering, therefore they should have rights
      
      History of Animal Rights ~ 19th Century ~
      
      An explosion of interest in animal protection and cruelty, particularly in England....
      - 1822 ~ The world's first major piece of animal protection legislation called, "An Act to Prevent The Cruel and Improper Treatment of Cattle" was piloted by Richard Martin. This bill would protect cattle, sheep and horses from cruelty.
      - 1824 ~ Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (RSPCA) began in London. It is the world's oldest animal welfare organization and the first national animal protection society in the world.
      - 1835 ~ The 1835 Act amended the existing legislation of 1822 to include bulls, dogs, bears, sheep, and to prohibit bear-baiting and cockfighting. This legislation helped to facilitate further legislation to protect animals, create shelters, veterinary hospitals and more humane transportation. It did not extend protection to wild animals.
      - 1849 ~ The Cruelty to Animals Act changed its name to the "Act for the more effectual Prevention of Cruelty to Animals"
      - 1850 ~ In France cruelty against domestic animals was outlawed.
      - 1866 ~ American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA) was the first animal welfare organization formed in the United States.
      - 1869 ~ One of the first U.S. animal shelters was established,
      - 1876 ~ Cruelty to Animals Act 1876; Vivisection Act, "An Act to Amend the Law Relating to Cruelty to Animals
      - 1876 ~ In England, a series of amendments extended the 1822 Act: The Cruel Treatment of Cattle Act 1822 and The Cruelty to Animals Act 1835, expanded to include Vivisection and was renamed, The Cruelty to Animals Act 1876. The Act was replaced 110 years later by the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986.
      - 1877 ~ The American Humane Society was formed
      - 1892 ~ Laws passed by The American Humane Association "prohibiting the repetition of experiments on animals for the purpose of teaching or demonstration"
      - 1894 ~ The ASPCA took on the role of sheltering stray dogs and cats in New York City.
        
        History of Animal Rights ~ 20th Century ~
        
        The History of Animal Rights took a big turn in the 20th Century. Many groups dedicated to helping animals began.
        1900 ~ Wild Animals in Captivity Protection Act
        
        1954 ~ Humane Society of the United States was formed.
        
        1965 The Five Freedoms are a set of principles and represent the fundamental requirements of animals,(initially for farm animals to have enough space to lie down, stand up and groom themselves) researched and help develop 5F's (*), Dr. John Webster ~ Amended in 1993 to include ALL animals.
        
        1966 ~ The Animal Welfare Act (Laboratory Animal Welfare Act regulated the use of animals in labs. The Act was amended six times (1970, 1976, 1985, 1990, 2002, 2007)
        
        1969 ~ Act to regulate pet shops, animal control shelters, and animal protection shelters in Michigan
        
        1972 ~ Citizens for Animal Protection (CAP) was formed.
        
        1975 ~ Peter Singer's publication of Animal Liberation released. It depicted the harsh conditions and cruelty of animals in farms.
        Peter Singer - a philosophy professor was one of the first to start using dramatic and expressive public means to attract new recruits to the Animal Rights Movement.
        
        1976 ~ Animal Liberation Front was founded (ALF)
        
        1979 ~ A lawyer named Tischler organized (AFAR) Attorneys for Animal Rights. This group worked full time on animal rights issues.
        
        1980 ~ PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals) is dedicated to establishing and defending the rights of all animals.
        
        1984 ~ ASPCA called for a boycott of Ringling Brothers after it tried to pass off goats w/horns surgically implanted in their skulls as "living unicorns."
        
        1987 ~ Revlon agreed to stop animal testing and contributed millions of dollars to alternate research.
        
        1993 ~ The Great Ape Project is an international organization who advocate for basic legal rights on chimpanzees, bonobos, gorillas, and orangutans. The right to life, the protection of individual liberty, and the prohibition of torture.
        
        1995 ~ New fur law was passed. Any country who exports fur to Europe must either ban leg hold traps or adopt international humane trapping standards.
        
        1999 ~ The Animal Welfare Act of 1999 set standards and responsibilities of people who keep animals for any reason, including food, fibre, or animal product. The Animal Welfare Act became law in 1999 and replaced the outdated Animals Protection Act 1960.
        
        History of Animal Rights ~ Into the 21st Century ~
        
        The History of Animal Rights into the 21st Century is known for many groups dedicated to a variety of related causes, including protecting endangered species, protesting against painful or brutal methods of trapping and killing animals (for furs), preventing the use of animals in laboratory research, and promoting vegetarianism.
        
        The Five Freedoms ~ 5F ~
        
        The 5F's were written by the Farm Animal Welfare Council. The FAWC is an independent advisory body established by the Government in 1979. Its terms of reference are to keep under review the welfare of farm animals on agricultural land, at market, in transit and at the place of slaughter; and to advise the Government of any legislative or other changes that may be necessary.
        "The welfare of an animal includes its physical and mental state and we consider that good animal welfare implies both fitness and a sense of well-being. Any animal kept by man, must at least, be protected from unnecessary suffering."
        
        The Five Freedoms ~ 5F
        Freedom from Hunger and Thirst - by ready access to fresh water and a diet to maintain full health and vigor.
        
        Freedom from Discomfort - by providing an appropriate environment including shelter and a comfortable resting area.
        
        Freedom from Pain, Injury or Disease - by prevention or rapid diagnosis and treatment.
        
        Freedom to Express Normal Behavior - by providing sufficient space, proper facilities and company of the animal's own kind.
        
        Freedom from Fear and Distress - by ensuring conditions and treatment which avoids mental suffering.
        
        WE NEED TO KEEP OUR VOICES LOUD AND CLEAR IN THE HOPE THAT ONE DAY ALL ANIMALS WILL LIVE WITHOUT SUFFERING AND ABUSE
        
        Literature on Animal Rights
        
        Information and Resources gathered from:
        www.wikipedia.org
        www.hsus.org
        www.aspca.org
        www.animalrightshistory.org
        www.animalrightszone.com/2001/laws/
        www.animallaw.info
        http://animalrights.typepad.com/
        http://www.21stcenturycares.org/

History of Animal Rights

The Beginning

History of Animal Rights ~ 16th Century ~

History of Animal Rights ~ 17th Century ~

History of Animal Rights ~ 18th Century ~

History of Animal Rights ~ 19th Century ~

History of Animal Rights ~ 20th Century ~

History of Animal Rights ~ Into the 21st Century ~

The Five Freedoms ~ 5F ~

Literature on Animal Rights