Library of Animal Rights History » Animal Welfare-Animal Rights Laws-Acts, Legislation Against Cruelty to Animals, Animal Protection Law

Animal Rights Law - Renaissance

Early Animal Anti-Cruelty Legislation

Law-Middle Ages « Law-Renaissance » Law-Age of Enlightenment

13th-18th Century | Although these acts, bills, charters, letters, orders, ordinances, statues and the like, did not either seek to, or prohibit bear-baiting, bull-baiting, cock-fighting, fishing, fowling, hawking, horse-racing or hunting because of cruelty toward animals, they did discourage or suppress these cruelties, even if only for a limited time—and at times led to permanent acts of parliament banning these pastimes. Arguments both for and against amendments to the acts, as well as newer legislation prohibiting these and other cruelties, often referenced these
Early Prohibitions e against Bear-Baiting, Bull-Baiting, Cock-Fighting, Fishing, Fowling, Hawking, Horse-Racing and Hunting

1488 [4 & 5 Henry VII. c. 3.] An Act that No Butcher Flea any Manner of Beast within the Walls of London: "…By occasion of Blood, Foul Order, Violence, and Putrified waters…lest it might engeder Sickness, unto the Destruction of the People…that no Butcher, nor his servant, slay no Manner of Beast…within the Walls of London…"

1545 [37 Henry VIII. c. 6.] An Act Against Burning of Frames: "…Where divers and sundry malicious and envious Persons being Men of evil and perverse Dispostions, and seduced by the Instigation of the Devil…maliciously wilfull and unlawfully, cut out or cause to be cut out the Tongue or Toungues of any tame Beast or Beasts of any other person or Persons, the said Beast the being in Life…

1625 | [1 Charles I. c. 1.Sunday Observance Act, 1625] An Act for Punishing of Divers Abuses Committed on the Lord's Day, called Sunday: Prohibited meetings, assemblies, sports and pastimes including bear baiting and bull-baiting as unlawful exercises on Sunday.

1627 [3 Charles I. c. 1. Sunday Observane Act, 1627] Sunday Observane Act, 1627, An Act for the Further Reformation of Sundry Abuses committed on the Lord's Day, Commonly called Sunday: Prohibited travel by carriers with horses, waggons, carmen, wainmen and drovers with cattle, as well as the killing or felling of animals by butchers on Sunday.

Early Legislation Against Cruelty to Animals

Thomas Wentworth's Act of 1635 in Ireland, as well as Nathaniel Ward's contribution to the Massachusetts Body of Liberties of 1641 establishes law against cruelty to animals almost 200 years prior to the passage of Richard Martin's Act of 1822, a Bill to Prevent the Cruel and Improper Treatment of Cattle. Since these contributions were largely unknown until the late 20th century, the modern era of anti-cruelty legislation is usually traced back to the precedence set by "Martin's Act" and the amendments and legislative enactments against cruelty to animals that followed. However, it is King Asoka, in the 3rd century BCE that we must honor as being the first to decree law not only for the protection of animals, creating the first list of "protected" species but, progressive even by today's standards, proclaiming the slaughter of animals as food or for sacrifice unlawful.

1635 | Ireland Parliament, Act against Plowing by the Tayle, and Pulling the Wooll off Living Sheep, 1635: "Wheras in many places of this kindgome, there hath been a long time used a barbarous custome of ploughing…l;and working with horses…by the taile, whereby (besides the cruelty used to the beasts) the breed of horses is much impaired in this kingdome…: whereas also divers have and yet do use the like barbarous custome of pulling of the wooll yearly from living sheep instead of clipping or shearing of them; be it therefore enacted…None shall plow or work horses by the tail.… None shall instead of shearing or clipping, pull off the wool from living sheep…[punishable] by fine and imprisionment."

1641 | Massachusetts Colony Body of Liberties Off the Bruite Creatures: Liberty 92: No man shall exercise any Tirranny or Crueltie towards any bruite Creature which are usuallie kept for man's use. Liberty 93: If any man shall have occasion to leade or drive Cattel from place to place that is far of, so that they be weary, or hungry, or fall sick, or lambe, It shall be lawful to rest or refresh them, for a competent time, in any open place that is not Corne, meadow, or inclosed for some peculiar use.

1642-1660 Interregnum Ordinances and Acts

Enactments passed during the first period of the Long Parliament, that is, from the breach with the King in 1642 to January 1648–9, are termed Ordinances. They received the assent both of the Lords and Commons, but failed to become Acts by reason of never receiving the assent of the King. (Acts and Ordinances of the Interregnum, 1642-1660 (1911), "Introduction, " British History Online)

1648 | An Ordinance for The Form of Church Government to be used in the Church of England and Ireland, agreed upon by the Lords and Commons assembled in Parliament, after Advice, had with the Assembly of Divines:"…That the several and respective Elderships shall have power to suspend from the Sacrament of the Lords Supper, all scandalous persons hereafter mentioned…Any person that shall upon the Lords Day use any Dancing, playing at Dice, or Cards, or any other Game, Masquing, Wakes, Shooting, Bowling, Playing, playing at Foot-ball, Stool-ball, Wrestling, or that shall make or resort into any Plays, Interludes, Fencing, Bull-baiting, or Bear-baiting, or that shall useHawking, Hunting or Coursing, Fishing or Fowling.

1654 | An Ordinance for Prohibiting Cock-Matches

1654 | An Ordinance for Prohibiting Horse-Races

Acts passed by the second Parliament of the Protectorate during the session of 1656–7. (Acts and Ordinances of the Interregnum, 1642-1660 (1911), "Introduction, " British History Online)

1657 | An Act for Punishing of Such Persons as Live at High Rate and Have No Visible Estate, Profession or Calling Answerable Thereunto: "…Any person…(by playing at Cards, Dice, Tables, Tennis, Bowles or Shovel-board, Cock-fighting, or by Horse-races, or any Game or Games, or by bearing any part in the Adventure, or by betting on the sides or hands of such as do or shall play as aforesaid) directly or indirectly, win or gain…any sum or sums of money, or other thing valuable whatsoever…shall forfeit double the sum or value so won or gained.

1657 | An Act for the Better Observation of the Lord's Day: "…Every person being a Waggoner, Carrier, Butcher, Higler, Drover, or any of their servants, travelling… And every Butcher killing any Cattel, and every Butcher, Costermonger, Poulterer…exposing or offering to sell…and the persons buying such Wares or Commodities,…all persons keeping, using or being present upon the Day aforesaid at any…Shootings,…Bear-Baiting, Bull-Baiting, or any other Sports and Pastimes…shall be deemed guilty of prophaning the Lords-Day.