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+--- Thread: Traitor To His Species, the biography of Henry Bergh (/showthread.php?tid=5790)
Traitor To His Species, the biography of Henry Bergh - Catherine - 05-18-2021
The book Traitor To His Species is a biography of Henry Bergh and the story of the birth of the ASPCA, the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty of to Animals. Bergh witness terrible cruelty to horses when he was in Russia. It effected him deeply. On his return to the USA he petitioned the New York Legislature to start the ASPCA and to create a law against cruelty to animals. This happened in 1866 and it was ahead of its time. There were few protections for animals at the time. The ASPCA was given the right to intervene to stop acts of cruelty. The ASPCA still works to stop cruelty to animals so his work lives on.
https://www.pressherald.com/2021/05/16/in-the-19th-century-an-unlikely-man-ignited-a-movement-to-protect-animals-from-mistreatment/
It is good to know who the early defenders of animals were. They are the roots of the animal rights movements now. They were starting in a world that just accepted animal cruelty as normal and acceptable. Just enacting a law against excessive cruelty was a major accomplishment. We have come a long way from that point. We have more work to do. That work was started by early leaders like Henry Bergh and it is important that we remember. I am glad that there is a biography so people can learn about him. His influence can still serve to help animals even after all these years.