1811-1888

". . . the story of the man who gave rights to animals. In Gilded Age America, people and animals lived cheek-by-jowl in environments that were dirty and dangerous to man and beast alike. The industrial city brought suffering, but it also inspired a compassion for animals that fueled a controversial anti-cruelty movement. From the center of these debates, Henry Bergh launched a shocking campaign to grant rights to animals. . . . . a social history, awash with colorful characters. Cheered on by thousands of men and women who joined his cause, Bergh fought with robber barons, Five Points gangs, and legendary impresario P.T. Barnum, as they pushed for new laws to protect trolley horses, livestock, stray dogs, and other animals . . . tells the story of a remarkable man who gave voice to the voiceless and shaped our modern relationship with animals"--Provided by publisher.

A biography of Henry Bergh, founder of the ASPCA.

After witnessing the brutal beating of a horse in the streets of Russia and attending a bullfight in Spain, Henry Bergh found his calling: first as a one-man enforcer of animal rights, and later as the founder of the ASPCA, or the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. His newfound devotion came at a crucial time for animals. In America in the late 1800s, workhorses were often whipped to death and dogs chained to treadmills for work. Animals in slaghterhouses experienced gruesome deaths. They all needed a voice, and that voice was Henry Bergh's.

Presents the life and accomplishments of Henry Bergh, founder of the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals.