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Jan 1, 1233
massacre of tens of millions of cats throughout Europe
Pope Gregory IX issues his Vox in Rama, which links felines to Satan and leads to the massacre of tens of millions of cats throughout Europe. Some scholars say the absence of cats led to an explosion of black rats, which brought the Black Death -
Jan 1, 1500
scenes of domestic life in Renaissance art.
Dogs begin to feature in scenes of domestic life in Renaissance art. In paintings from the time, canines take on human characteristics like love and sorrow, and feature as friends and companions -
French philosopher René Descartes declares that animals are soulless machines, a doctrine that helps justify centuries of canine vivisection.
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Animal Welfare Law
The United Kingdom passes the first serious animal welfare law. Two years later, the world’s first animal welfare organization, the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, is founded. -
ASPCA was created
Henry Bergh founds the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA), America’s first animal protection organization. The society initially focuses its efforts on New York’s horses, but it soon turns its attention to the plight of cats and dogs -
Early flea and tick products begin to bring dogs indoors. Pets start to be seen as members of the family.
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A book was published from a pet's perspective
Margaret Marshall Saunders pens Beautiful Joe, the “autobiography” of an abused dog who finds a loving home, one of the first told from a pet’s perspective. Mark Twain follows with his own pet autobiography, 1904’s A Dog’s Tale. -
Pets are ruled as "not property"
A Baltimore judge rules that a cat is not property and thus can be stolen without repercussion. Dogs are similarly regarded as “worthless objects” in the eyes of the law -
Brown Dog Riots
The vivisection of a dog at a London medical school sparks the Brown Dog Riots. Decades of debate over the use of cats and dogs in biomedical research would follow. -
First American Guide Dog School is Founded
The Seeing Eye, the first American guide dog school, is founded, ushering in an era of pets as assistance animals. Today, cats and dogs do everything from comfort children with autism to sniff out cancer. -
Dogs for Defense begins training canines to go to war
Dogs for Defense begins training canines to go to war. Today, canines are a critical component of the U.S. military. “The capability they bring to the fight cannot be replicated by man or machine,” General David Petraeus, former commander of US forces in Afghanistan, has said. -
Kitty litter is invented, helping turn cats into indoor pets.
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The Humane Society of the United States is founded. Today it is one of the world’s largest animal welfare organizations.
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Pets are worth more than market value
The Florida Supreme Court rules that pets are worth more than their market value. Cats and dogs aren’t just property in the eyes of the law; they begin to be seen as a special type of property that has interests and feelings. -
The Animal Legal Defense Fund is founded and campaigns for the rights of cats, dogs, and other animals in the legal system.
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Americans with disabilities act
The Americans with Disabilities Act requires hotels, restaurants, and other businesses to admit service animals, even if customers have allergies to or a fear of dogs. -
No kill movement
San Francisco ends the euthanasia of healthy dogs and cats in its three shelters, sparking the No Kill Movement. -
Studies about dogs
Scientists Ádám Miklósi and Brian Hare publish studies showing that dogs can understand human pointing, an ability not seen in chimpanzees. The work prompts several more labs to begin studying the canine mind. -
Legal battle over custody of dog
Stanley and Linda Perkins’s legal battle over their dog, Gigi, becomes one of the most expensive pet custody battles in US history. Judges begin to consider the “best interests” of pets in custody cases. -
"Guardian" instead of "Owner"
Boulder, Colorado, becomes the first city to use the term “guardian,” in addition to or instead of “owner,” in its pet-related ordinances. Nineteen other cities and one state follow suit. -
Uniform Trust Code
The Uniform Trust Code allows owners to leave money to their companion animals after they die. Because the trusts are legally enforceable, animals denied their inheritance can theoretically be represented by lawyers in a court of law. The Uniform Trust Code has brought pets closer to being seen as “legal persons” than any other legislation. -
Largest Vet malpractive
The largest veterinary malpractice damages in US history are awarded: $39,000 for the death of a dog. Critics say the rising legal status of cats and dogs could flood the courts, put veterinarians out of business, and even threaten industries like agriculture and biomedical research. -
Pets evacuation and transportation standards act
The U.S. federal government passes the Pets Evacuation and Transportation Standards (PETS) Act, which impels rescue agencies to save pets as well as people during natural disasters. The act was inspired by the many owners who lost their lives during Hurricane Katrina, refusing to evacuate without their pets. -
First animal abuser registry
Suffolk County, New York, creates America’s first animal abuser registry. Offenders are listed on a public database, just like sex offenders. -
Court rules that pit bulls are "inherently dangerous"
The Maryland Court of Appeals rules that pit bulls are “inherently dangerous.” Hundreds of cities across North America ban the breed or impose tough restrictions on the dog. Some pit bulls are put on trial for biting people. -
US Military working dog teams national monument is unveiled
Lackland Air Force Base unveils the US Military Working Dog Teams National Monument to honor the service of canine soldiers. Congress considers a bill that would reclassify military working dogs from “equipment” to “canine members of the armed forces”. -
outh Dakota becomes the 50th state to adopt a felony animal anti-cruelty law
South Dakota becomes the 50th state to adopt a felony animal anti-cruelty law. Some states impose penalties of up to $125,000 in fines and 10 years in prison for anyone who harms a cat or dog.