Beastly Victorians: preventing animal cruelty in the 19th century

Helen Cowie explains how the 19th century saw a shift in attitudes toward animals, as early campaigners began to legislate against cruel treatment

Published: June 7, 2024 at 7:25 AM

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The first piece of legislation preventing animal cruelty was passed in Britain during the 1820s – but that's not to say the British have always lived up to the cherished idea of being a nation of animal lovers. To mark 200 years since the foundation of the RSPCA, David Musgrove spoke to Helen Cowie about Victorian legislation and campaigning that sought to prevent cruelty to animals back during the organisation's early days, and how attitudes to animals have changed since then.

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Authors

Dr David Musgrove, FSAContent director

David Musgrove is the content director at HistoryExtra

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