The Evolution of Anticruelty Laws - 950 Words

Soon, many groups were concerned about how animals were being treated. Anticruelty laws were first passed in Great Britain. The United States quickly followed, responding to the animal welfare groups; insisting that the government needed to act to prevent unnecessary cruelty to animals (Judson 20). This movement grew rapidly across the United States. In 1829, New York passed the first anticruelty law prohibiting the malicious injuring or killing or farm animals such as horses, oxen, cattle or sheep. By 1907, every single American state had passed anticruelty acts. By 1923, most states prohibited the practice of neglecting and abandonment, cockfighting, and some types of hunting methods of animals (Judson 21). Throughout the 1800s, animal welfare groups in Great Britain and the United States pushed for their governments to pass laws to protect animals from methods such as slaughter and animal experimentation. In 1824, welfare groups in London were already being formed. The first socie ty was formed, called the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (Guither 2). Later, in 1835, public policy was passed in Great Britain to â€Å"consolidate and amend the several laws relation to the cruelty and improper treatment of animals† (Guither 2). Decades later, in 1911, Parliament passed the Protection of Animals Acts, which is still n effect today. Harold D. Guither, author of the book Animal Rights: History and Scope of a Radical Social Movement, describes this act, station