How did Henry Bergh, the founder of the first SPCA in North America, spend his life?

This week, 136 years ago, the animals lost a great friend. On March 12, 1888, Henry Bergh, the founder of the first SPCA in North America, died. For two decades, Bergh had taken to the streets to protect animals. 

Henry Bergh. Image believed to be in the public domain.

This is how he described his life as an animal advocate of his time. 

“Day after day, I am in slaughterhouses; or lying in wait at midnight with a squad of police near some dog pit; through the filthy markets and about the rotten docks; out into the crowded and dangerous streets; lifting a fallen horse to his feet, and perhaps sending the driver before a magistrate; penetrating dark and unwholesome buildings where I inspect collars and saddles for raw flesh; then lecturing in public schools to children, and again to adult Societies. Thus my whole life is spent.”

The above comes from Nathan Winograd's newsletter.

Below is from Bing's co-pilot. 

Henry Bergh, born on August 29, 1813, in New York City, led a remarkable life dedicated to animal welfare and the protection of children. Here are the key aspects of his impactful journey:

1. Founding the ASPCA:

   • In April 1866, just three days after the first effective legislation against animal cruelty was passed in the United States by the New York State Legislature, Henry Bergh founded the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA).
   • His mission was clear: to ensure that animals received kind and respectful treatment from humans and were protected under the law 2.
   • Bergh assumed the role of ASPCA president and provided initial funding for the organization alongside his wife.

2. Championing Animal Rights:

   • During his stay in Europe, Bergh witnessed various cruelties committed upon animals, which deeply affected him.
   • In England, he met Lord Harrowby, the president of the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, who emphasized the importance of Bergh’s mission.
   • Inspired by this encounter, Bergh dedicated the rest of his life to the cause of ending animal cruelty.

3. Additional Advocacy Efforts:

   • Bergh’s impact extended beyond animals. He also played a crucial role in founding the Massachusetts Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children in 1874.
   • His commitment to humane treatment extended to both animals and children, emphasizing compassion and protection.

4. Background and Career:

   • Henry Bergh hailed from a wealthy New York family. His father, Christian Bergh III, was a successful shipbuilder.
   • Bergh joined his father’s shipbuilding business, C. Bergh & Co., and inherited a substantial estate upon his father’s death in 1843.
   • He attended Columbia College in New York City but left before completing his degree, choosing instead to tour Europe for five years.
   • In 1862, President Abraham Lincoln appointed him secretary of the U.S. legation in Tsarist Russia, where he served in St. Petersburg as acting vice-consul/

Henry Bergh’s legacy as a pioneer in animal advocacy and child protection endures, shaping the compassionate treatment of both animals and vulnerable members of society. 🐾🌟

Yesterday was the birthday of Henry Bergh the founder of the ASPCA

Henry Bergh. Image in the public domain.

The world and particularly Americans I feel have an obligation to thank, at this time, Henry Bergh, the founder of the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA). 

Nathan Winograd has reminded me of his birthday as he sent me an email yesterday. I had heard of him so I need no reminder of his history. He was a great man. Many people would agree with me.

Henry Wadsworth Longfellow wrote this about him:

Among the noblest of the land;

Though he may count himself the least;

That man I honor and revere;

Who, without favor, without fear;

In the great city dares to stand;

The friend of every friendless beast.

Winograd refers to him as 'The Great Meddler'. This is because with great commitment, passion and persistence he meddled in the lives of those people in New York City - and I guess other places - who abused animals. He fearlessly stopped their abuse.

He got New York to pass an anti-cruelty law and put a copy of that law into his pocket and then took to the streets of New York every night for the remainder of his life to protect animals against the abuse of humankind. An amazing man as I said.

I guess nobody can match that today but some come close.

Henry Bergh stops animal abuse in 19th century NYC. Image in the public domain.

Winograd refers to a report of the time about Henry Bergh which went as follows:

The driver of a cart laden with coal is whipping his horse. Passersby on the New York City street stopped to gawk not so much at the weak, emaciated equine, but at the tall man, elegant in top hat and spats, who is explaining to the driver that it is now against the law to beat one’s animal. Thus, America first encounters ‘The Great Meddler.’

And then Winograd goes on to explain an example of his meddling. He describes one winter evening during the New York City rush-hour. People were rushing to horse-drawn carriages to get home. The horses were exhausted and flogged near to death to pull overloaded cars along a railway line.

It was snowing and the ground by slushy. When one overloaded car reached the corner near where Henry Bergh was standing the driver was about to abuse his horses again to keep them moving forwards when he heard the shout "Stop!" and "Unload!" It was Henry Bergh telling the man to stop and unload his car. The driver shouted back, "Who the hell are you?"

The driver refused to comply with Bergh's request. Bergh then pitched him into the snowbank and unhitched the horses. This, apparently was a common sight in New York City at the time.

Winograd then refers to the words of Henry Bergh himself about his day-to-day efforts to curb animal abuse under the law that he had campaigned for:

I am in slaughterhouses; or lying in wait at midnight with a squad of police near some dog pit; through the filthy markets and about the rotten docks; out into the crowded and dangerous streets; lifting a fallen horse to his feet, or perhaps sending the driver before a magistrate, penetrating dark and unwholesome buildings where I inspect collars and saddles for raw flesh; then lecturing in public schools to children, and again to adult Societies. Thus, my whole life is spent.

It paints a very hard picture. This was a man of high endurance, great commitment and persistence as mentioned. He was driven by a great compassion to help animals, those creatures more vulnerable than humankind against our exploitation.

Perhaps not many people know of his name but everybody on the planet owes him a debt of gratitude. I'm sure that millions of animals have been saved by his valiant efforts to improve animal welfare in the 19th century. He lived between August 29, 1813 and March 12, 1888. A time when animal welfare was far worse than it is today but there is still a lot of work to do.

1,500 Kittens Graduate from ASPCA Kitten Nursery

Because Of the influx of kittens during the summer breeding season, we know that animal shelters throughout the USA are inundated with young and newborn cats who are effectively homeless. Because of this perennial problem the ASPCA opened a new facility in 2014 to deal with the regular influx. The facility is dedicated to the treatment of newborn cats. These cats are too young to survive on their own and they need specialist care which is resource-intensive. The facility provides a service to the Animal Care Centres of New York City in 5 boroughs. The facility has 200 adjustable cages which can accommodate either a nursing mother or orphaned kittens. In all, the facility can accommodate 2,000 kittens during the breeding season which is between April to the end of September.



The ASPCA are proud to announce that between the date that the facility opened in May to November 10, 2015, 1,500 kittens have passed through the facility. The staff decided to celebrate the moment and their achievement. They had a “pomp and circumstance" ceremony. Two dozen kitten nursery staffers attended wearing suitable T-shirts and even mortarboards as if it were real graduation ceremony. The kittens are then moved on to the next phase in their life which is to seek an adopter.



The level of care provided at this kitten nursery is awesome. During the 6 months it was open to the 10th November more than 50 ASPCA workers worked 24 hours per day in up to nine-hour shifts to provide top quality care. I don't think you could do more than that. The Nursery's Medical Manager, Sabrina Velasquez said that the experience has been extremely positive.

The last stage for the kittens before adoption is to pass through the spaying and neutering process. The Medical Administrative Assistant, Chrissy Martinez-Munoz, works out the schedule for the operations. She said: “I'm the last stage before they go to adoptions, so by the time they reach me, they're halfway home..."

One of the staffers, Teandra Hendry said: “It's rewarding to see them go from not wanting to eat, to putting on weight, then developing personalities and becoming ready for adoption."

This is a fantastic facility and they deserve to celebrate their success. I'm pleased to write about it. It is always a pleasure to write about successful cat rescue particularly when it concerns the most vulnerable.