A radical improvement regarding views on animal rights was noticed during the transition from pre nineteenth century to post nineteenth century. A slow but significant progress spurred in people’s minds when animal compassion was gradually taking place of animal cruelty there. Before 1800s, animals as well as children were forced to work, whereas, in early 1800s, welfare of children and animals became a prime concern of common people and many associations.
Views on Animal Rights during 1600s And 1700s
People’s observation towards children and animals were terribly harsh in pre 1600s. People were required to put enormous labor to satisfy basic needs of life – food, shelter and warmth. Stricken by illness and calamities, death rate rose to a high level. Parents decided to give birth to 8 to 10 children to have at least a few of them to survive and to become successors of their farms. Children and animals were forced to work. Animals and children were physically forced and beaten for encouraging them to work. Animals were only cared when they were found to have potential to provide labor. People were aware of the inferior status of animals, that means
- Animals are incapable of expressing reluctance or complaining against physical labor and torture
- Killing of animals was not considered as a severe crime as killing of adult people.
This brutal outlook to animals continued until early 1800s. With the advent of industrial revolution, adults gradually shifted to work in factories. With sufficient income, they could afford to meet their basic needs at ease and afford to replace cruelty with compassion in treating both animals and children with care. Welfare of these less fortunate creatures such as children and animals became a serious concern among general population as well as budding organizations.
Contributions of the organizations in US for animal welfare
In 1825, in giving shelter to the left out and tormented children, was formed the House of refuge in the US. Another society in the US that contributed to the welfare of animals, was known as the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA). Being founded by a wealthy philanthropist of New York, Henry Bergh, the ASPCA have the reputation of being one of the best-known animal welfare societies. Henry Bergh aimed to rescue stray cats and help horses those were severely mistreated.