What kinds of pets did Victorians own? It wasn't just kennel club approved dogs and cats! Let's learn more👇✨🦔

Rabies was a huge concern for Victorian authorities. Several iterations of rabies laws were put forth, mandating dogs to be muzzled and on leash when in public. Sporting dogs enjoyed exceptions to these rules, as lawmakers saw their (overwhelmingly upper-class male) owners as superior dog-keepers.

Animal Theft 🐑 On Oct. 28, 1807, John King was sentenced to death for stealing 6 sheep. Livestock were extremelyvaluable property, as they provided for English peoples’ livelihoods. Animal theft was treated especially seriously in the courts when many animals were stolen at the same time.

The Kennel Club (KC) was *the* authority on dog breed standards in Victorian England. Smaller dog clubs had to follow the KC's rules or else risk being disqualified from the Annual National Exhibition of Dogs. This, along with the prohibitive cost of competing, led the KC to be accused of elitism.

Dog fashions👜 Victorian female dog-owners were criticized for their dog breeding practices, as seen in this 1889 satirical cartoon from Punch Magazine. Women were accused of using their pets as accessories, drawing on misogynistic stereotypes of female frivolity.

Fun fact: specific breeds of dogs, such as hounds and setters, were used in Victorian sporting activities. These dogs were also the subject of many paintings depicting English country life. The painting below was made by Thomas Blinks (1860-1912) an artist who specialized in depicting sporting dogs!

Let’s learn about Victorian cat shows! They’re truly the cat’s meow 😻 #victorianpetppl #cats #cutecats #catfacts #britishhistory #animalhistory #meow