23 collections related to Animal rights movement

Educational publications, advertisements, informational pamphlets, correspondence, subscription forms and ephemera related to animal rights and animal welfare, especially anti-vivisection. This collection appears to originate from the West of England, with a particular focus on the Manchester area. However, the collection also contains material from throughout the United Kingdom and a few materials from the United States. Most of the material was produced and distributed by organizations such as the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, the British Union for the Abolition of Vivisection, the Animal Defence and Anti-Vivisection Society, the League for the Prohibition of Cruel Sports, National Society for the Abolition of Cruel Sports, the Victoria Street Society for the Abolition of Vivisection, and others. Also included are Catholic, Quaker, and other religious pamphlets. The collection contains items written by Frances Power Cobbe, Henry Stephens Salt, H. E. Bates, George Bernard Shaw, and H. G. Wells. Members of the Bloomsbury Group, including Virginia Woolf and Clive Bell who are listed as subscribers to some groups, are represented here. There is also material related to and designed by cartoonist and animal rights activist Cyril Kenneth Bird, who went by the pen name 'Fougasse.' The material ranges in date from the 1870s to the 1950s and includes a quantity of material from the interwar period and the era surrounding and following World War II. Although anti-vivisection and animal rights were a concern in the United Kingdom as early as the eighteenth century, the first anti-cruelty law, "The Animal Protection Act" was passed in 1822, outlawing cruelty to cattle, horses, and sheep. The Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals was formed two years later and had the distinction of being the first animal welfare society in the world. In 1840, the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals received the support of Queen Victoria and adopted the name the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. Anti-vivisection movements increased in response to an increase in scientific and medical experimentation with mammals in the latter half of the nineteenth century. Despite the commonly held belief that animal rights reemerged as a primary concern in the 1970s, groups advocating for the rights and well-being of animals continued from the nineteeth century into the era following World War II with little stagnation. Less

The Animal Rights and Animal Welfare Publications records contains magazines, journals, newsletters, newspapers, pamphlets, testimonials from federal hearings, books, annual reports, articles, comic books, leaflets, videotapes, catalogs, a screenplay, and an audio CD. Most publications were collected by the Animal Rights Network for their relevance in the treatment of animals. This includes a broad range of publishers and organizations, from animal rights groups, animal shelters, wildlife sanctuaries, laboratory animal providers, animal liberation groups, hunting enthusiasts, political activists, fur trappers, pet dealers, animal breeders, vegetarians, laboratories that experiment on animals, educators, societies for the protection of animals, and pet lovers. Most of these publications were received from the Animal Rights Network; publications from other organizations and individuals have been added to the collection. In 1979, several Connecticut-based animal rights activists withdrew from Friends of Animals, Inc., to found the Animal Rights Network (ARN). ARN joined forces with the animal rights magazine Agenda, and together they worked to unite local, national, and international animal rights groups to achieve common goals. In 2001, the board of directors determined that the role of ARN as a movement building and networking tool was no longer necessary, and formed a new organization called the Institute for Animals and Society (IAS) "to advance animal advocacy issues in public policy development by conducting scholarly research and analysis, providing education and training, and fostering cooperation with other social justice movements and interests." IAS merged with the Society and Animals Forum to create the Animals and Society Institute in 2005. Less

The records of the Animal Welfare Institute include administrative files of both the AWI and the Society for Animal Protective Legislation (SAPL), subject files on animals the organization works to protect, files on legislation that SAPL has been involved with, files on the work of other animal rights groups, subject files on regional activities, photographs, publications, books, audiovisual materials, and archived web content. Materials of the organization range in date from its founding in the early 1950s to the early 2020s; other materials in the collection date back to 1930. The Animal Welfare Institute was created in 1951 as a non-profit, charitable organization focused on reducing the amount of suffering inflicted on animals by humans. The AWI continues to be active in these endeavors today, working to reduce animal cruelty in captive and domestic situations--including farming and laboratories--and also working to protect the rights of animals living in the wild, both on land and in the water. Less

The Bernard Unti Papers include publications, news clippings, and writings that document Unti's long involvement with the animal protection movement, especially his activism during the 1980s. There are materials related to the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS), Unti's dissertation research, and his time as Senior Policy Adviser and Special Assistant to President and CEO of the HSUS, Wayne Pacelle. The collection also includes Unti's research into various animal rights issues and topics such as laboratory animals, trapping, hunting, cetacean protection, humane education, veganism, and vegetarianism. Bernard Unti, Ph.D., was employed as Senior Policy Adviser and Special Assistant to the President and CEO of the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) from 2004 to 2021. Following this, Unti was hired as Senior Principal Strategist in Communications for the HSUS in 2021. He authored "Protecting All Animals: A Fifty-Year History of The Humane Society of the United States" (2004) and a number of essays on cruelty to animals as a historical and contemporary issue. In addition to working for the HSUS and Humane Society International, he worked at the Animal Anti-Vivisection Society (AAVS) in a number of capacities from 1985 to 1992, including the position of Executive Director. Less

The Doris Day Animal League Records, 1978-2006, contains a wide variety of materials that document the organization's efforts to protect the lives of animals through policy initiatives and education--specifically relating to animal testing, animals in the entertainment industry, companion animals legislation, and horse slaughter. Included in the collection are correspondence, Freedom of Information Act requests, pamphlets, reports, legislative and judicial summaries, journal and newspaper articles, editorials, surveys, videotapes, photographs, and other materials. Some of the organization's largest efforts documented in these records are the United States Air Force chimpanzee divestiture, high production volume testing (HPV) on animals, no apes in entertainment, efforts to influence Disney's creation of their Wild Animal Kingdom park, dog breeding regulation, spay and neuter legislation, and horse slaughter legislation. Founded in 1987 by Doris Day, the Doris Day Animal League (DDAL) is a nonprofit lobbying organization committed to providing animal advocacy through policy initiatives, education, and corporate engagement. Based in Washington D.C., DDAL serves to influence federal, state, and local laws and policies that focus on animal welfare. Some of the organization's largest efforts relate to the United States Air Force chimpanzee divestiture, high production volume testing (HPV) on animals, no apes in entertainment, dog breeding regulation, spay and neuter legislation, and horse slaughter legislation. In 2006, DDAL merged into the Humane Society of the United States. Less

The Esther Mechler Papers consists of papers and artifacts documenting Mechler's interest and participation in the animal rights and animal welfare movement. It includes writings by individuals and organizations, as well as published volumes and periodicals. Correspondence about animal or animal rights-related issues and the background work for two of Mechler's animal rights projects are also present, as well as audiovisual materials and memorabilia from various animal rights or animal welfare groups and events. Esther Mechler has been involved with the animal rights and animal welfare movement since the 1970s. An instrumental figure in several organizations, she was a founding member of both the Fairfield County, Connecticut branch of Friends of the Animals, and the national Animal Rights Network. Mechler worked to create and distribute animal protection related audio-visual materials and has also been particularly active in the area of preventing pet overpopulation. In 1990 she founded Spay/USA, a national referral service for low-cost spay/neutering. Less

The Fund For Animals Records includes materials about hunting, trapping, shooting (especially pigeon shoots), legal testimonies and court opinions, and animal rights. The Fund for Animals was an animal protection organization dedicated to ending cruel practices toward animals, caring for animals in crisis through rehabilitation centers, and participating in building a stronger global animal welfare movement. Some of their campaigns included ending pigeon shoots, trophy hunting, animal lab testing, and animal fighting. FFA supported improving the lives of farm animals, humane eating, and advocating for captive wild animals, among other issues. Less

This collection contains audio-visual materials (mostly VHS) that were acquired by the Association of Veterinarians for Animal Rights (AVAR). AVAR combined forces with the Humane Society Veterinary Medical Association (HSVMA) in 2008. The materials all relate to various animal rights issues. The Humane Society Veterinary Medical Association (HSVMA) is an affiliate organization of the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS). The HSVMA was established in 2008, and at that time, combined with the Association of Veterinarians for Animal Rights (AVAR). HSVMA's mission statement is "to protect and advocate for animals while providing leadership and service opportunities that support a humane veterinary profession." Less

The Humane World for Animals Records (formerly the Humane Society of the United States Records) include original correspondence, publications, animal rights research, legislative files, voting ballots, reports, grants, memorabilia, archived web content, and photographs dating from 1918, with the bulk of the records from the 1960s to the 2010s. These materials encompass the full range of the organization's activities in promoting the protection of companion animals, farm animals, animals in laboratories, and wildlife. Additionally, the records reflect the organization’s special focus on public policy, humane education, and direct animal care work. Researchers should be advised that SCRC staff has identified materials in this collection that depict animal cruelty and abuse. Humane World for Animals, formerly known as the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) (1957-2025) and the National Humane Society (1954-1956), is an animal welfare and rights nonprofit organization that was first formed in 1954 by former members of the American Humane Association (AHA). The organization committed itself to preventing cruelty to animals of all kinds as a part of the national animal humane movement. Since 1954, the organization has expanded its operations to include animal rights and welfare advocacy, education, legislation, research, investigation, and field services. Humane World for Animals has been instrumental in lobbying for federal animal rights and welfare legislation, including the Humane Slaughter Act of 1958, the Laboratory Animal Welfare Act of 1966, and the Pets Evacuation and Transportation Standards (PETS) Act of 2006. For a more comprehensive historical timeline and a list of abbreviations related to Humane World for Animals, refer to the document available online. Less

The Lisa Finlay Papers contains materials documenting Finlay's interest and participation in both the animal rights and ecofeminist movements. Some items are related to general animal rights or philosophical issues, but the majority focus on ecofeminism or the intersection between feminism and animal rights. Included are a variety of published and unpublished written materials, as well as materials from various animal rights and ecofeminist groups and events and audiovisual materials. The bulk of these audiovisual materials are the only known video copies of the 1993 ANGFAR (A New Generation for Animal Rights) Conference. Lisa Finlay is an animal rights advocate with a specific interest in feminism. When she was a graduate student at North Carolina State University, animal rights activist Tom Regan served as a thesis advisor for her self-designed degree: "Forms of Oppression: Sexism, Racism, and Speciesism." As the coordinator and contact for the 1993 ANGFAR conference, Finlay was instrumental in the organization of this event. A long-time member of Feminists for Animal Rights (FAR), Finlay was hired as the organization's first director in 1994 and went on to serve the organization in a number of different capacities. Less

Marguerite Doe Ravenscroft Scrapbook contains materials documenting the activities of Marguerite Ravenscroft dedicated to the animal welfare cause. Specifically, the scrapbook includes photos, letters, and receipts acknowledging her contribution to animal welfare organizations. There are also materials covering animal shelters in other parts of the world established by Ravenscroft. Marguerite Doe Ravenscroft (1890-1972) was a Montecito (CA)-based philanthropist who was engaged in animal welfare efforts throughout her life. Less

The Martin L. Stephens Papers, 1927-2010, contain photographs, reports, pamphlets, newspapers, books, and memorabilia, many of which pertain to Mobilization for Animals, an organization Stephens worked with in the 1980s. Stephens was a scholar and animal rights activist focused on finding alternatives to animal testing and research, and he worked with organizations such as the Center for Alternatives to Animal Testing at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, the International Council on Animal Protection in OECD Programmes, the National Research Council, and Humane World for Animals. Less

This collection contains administrative records and historical materials from the Massachusetts Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (MSPCA), as well as personal papers and records compiled by the MSPCA's founder, George T. Angell. The collection also contains publications published from 1822-2019. The Massachusetts Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (MSPCA or MSPCA-Angell) is a non-profit organization that protects animals, relieves their suffering, advances their health and welfare, and prevents cruelty. The MSPCA was founded in 1868. It is the second-oldest humane society in the United States. Less

Clippings, tear sheets, reprints, offprints, reports, newsletters, copies of articles from magazines and newspapers, and other printed, typescript, or photocopied items compiled by People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA), from their earliest days through 2001. Among the subjects included are smuggling and poaching, genetic engineering, drug testing, pest control experimentation, alternatives to animal testing, xenografts, transplants, and military use of animals for wound experimentation. People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) was established in 1980 with offices in Norfolk, Virginia. The organization now extends throughout the world with affiliates in the United Kingdom, Germany, the Netherlands, India, Italy, Greece, and Australia. Since its establishment it has worked to effect major changes in the treatment of animals by bringing together members of the scientific, judicial, and legislative communities. Less

The Psychologists for the Ethical Treatment of Animals Records is a collection of documents and collected material from the Psychologists for the Ethical Treatment of Animals or PsyETA from 1981 to 2008. There is some material from 1926 in the folder for the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine and various materials from 2009 and 2013. There are materials that relate to the administration of the organization itself as well as various campaigns they coordinated with, people they collaborated with, papers or lectures, and various educational endeavors. Much of the material was created by Kenneth Shapiro, the President of the Board of Directors, and included are his papers, lectures, and articles published in various journals and magazines. In 2005 the organization changed its name to Society & Animals Forum as documented in the third series. Less

This collection contains handwritten research notes, animal rights research, research materials on Anna Kingsford, and articles and book reviews written by Roberta Kalechofsky. Also included are research papers on various subjects including biodmedicine, handwritten research notes on Anna Kingsford's "The Perfect in Diet" and "Dream And Dream Stories", correspondence, and photographs taken in England and France. The research notes cover a variety of subjects including Claude Bernard, science and religion, vivisection, and 19th century medical practice. Dr. Roberta Kalechofsky, 1931-2022, was born May 11, 1931, and was an American writer, feminist, speaker, essayist, and animal rights activist, focusing on the issue of animal rights within Judaism and the promotion of vegetarianism within the Jewish community. In 1975, Kalechofsky founded Micah Publications or MicahBooks, which specializes in the publication of animal-rights, Jewish vegetarian, and Holocaust literature, including The Jewish Vegetarian Year Cookbook and Judaism and Animal Rights: Classical and Contemporary Responses. In 1985, she founded Jews for Animal Rights. She was the author of Animal Suffering and the Holocaust: The Problem with Comparisons (2003), as well as seven works of fiction, poetry, two collections of essays, and a monograph on George Orwell. She was married to Dr. Robert Kalechofsky, a retired mathematics professor from Salem State University. Dr. Roberta Kalechofsky died on April 5, 2022. Less