The History of Pets in New York City

Summary

Podcast Summary: "The History of Pets in New York City"

Podcast Information:

• Title: All Of It
• Host: Alison Stewart
• Episode: The History of Pets in New York City
• Release Date: December 4, 2024
• Description: ALL OF IT is a show about culture and its consumers, aiming to engage thinkers, makers, and creators in discussions about the cultural dynamics shaping New York City.

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Introduction to the Exhibit

In this episode of All Of It, host Alison Stewart delves into the vibrant history of pets in New York City through the lens of a new exhibit titled "Pets and the City" at the New York Historical Society. The exhibit spans three and a half centuries, showcasing the evolving relationship between New Yorkers and their animal companions.

Alison Stewart introduces the topic at [00:17]:

"A new exhibit chronicles three centuries of animal companions in New York City, from the indigenous people who felt a deep and often spiritual connection to animals, to European settlers who brought with them a specific type of hunting culture, to the 2 million pets who call the city home today."

Organization and Curation

Roberta Olson, the curator of the exhibit, shares insights into the extensive process behind its compilation. Holding a PhD in art history and possessing personal experience with many of the featured animals, Olson meticulously organized over three years to present a comprehensive narrative.

At [01:32], Olson explains:

"It was a long process. It was over three years, three and a half centuries. It makes sense. And one had to, you know, cast the net very, very widely."

She emphasizes the depth and breadth of the exhibit, which includes over 300 objects ranging from paintings and photos to historical documents and memorabilia.

Early History: Indigenous Connections

The exhibit opens with artifacts dating back to 1710, highlighting the profound spiritual connections indigenous peoples had with animals. Olson discusses the representation of Haudenosaunee leaders and their clan animals, underscoring the cultural significance of these relationships.

At [02:00], Olson notes:

"Indigenous people viewed animals as sentient beings, integral to their spiritual and daily lives. Each person had a clan animal passed down through the matrilineal line."

These early displays include unique signatures where indigenous individuals signed documents with their clan animals, such as a signature involving a tortoise belonging to a woman in 1729.

Domestication and Evolution of Pet Culture in NYC

Transitioning from indigenous practices, the exhibit traces the domestication of animals in New York City from the wild hunting cultures of the early settlers to the urban pet-centric society of today. Olson outlines this evolution, noting the shift from hunting necessities to companion animals enhancing domestic life.

At [06:29], she elaborates:

"Domestication really occurred when the wild kingdom entered the parlor, as we might say, in the early 19th century."

This period saw a surge in pet ownership, particularly of birds like native songbirds and later imported canaries, which became symbols of household refinement and musical ambiance.

Profiles of Notable Animals and Stories

One of the standout stories featured in the exhibit is that of Emma Thursby, a Brooklyn-born soprano from the Gilded Age, who traveled with her remarkable myna bird. Olson recounts the fascinating tale of how Thursby secured permission to bring her bird on a Pullman Company train, highlighting early animal rights activism.

At [09:00], Olson shares:

"Emma Thursby was an early animal rights activist. When her bird died in 1899, an autopsy revealed it had a huge brain, sparking debates about animal intelligence and rights."

The exhibit also includes playful sections on animal toys and memorabilia, offering a glimpse into the personal lives of New Yorkers and their pets.

Animal Welfare Reforms in NYC

A significant portion of the discussion centers on New York City's pioneering role in animal welfare. Olson details the emergence of organizations like the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA), founded by Henry Bergh, a New Yorker who was galvanized by the mistreatment of carriage horses.

At [10:52], Olson explains:

"Henry Bergh was incensed by the treatment of carriage horses and founded the ASPCA the same year New York State passed the first anti-cruelty animal act in the nation."

The conversation covers the development of humane laws and shelters, such as the establishment of the first no-kill shelter, Bideau Society, in 1903, and the founding of the Humane Society in 1904.

Waste Management and Pet Legislation

Olson connects the evolution of pet culture with broader urban developments, particularly waste management. She discusses how the lack of garbage collection and sewer systems contributed to issues with stray animals, leading to legislation like the dog license law of 1894 and the pooper scooper law enacted in 1979.

At [17:21], Olson remarks:

"The pooper scooper was invented by a woman in California but made its way to New York. The first fine was a hundred dollars, now it's $250."

She highlights the challenges and transformations in managing urban pet waste, reflecting the city's ongoing efforts to balance pet ownership with public hygiene and safety.

Conclusion and Visitor Information

As the episode wraps up, listeners are encouraged to visit the "Pets and the City" exhibit at the New York Historical Society, located on Central Park West at 77th Street. The exhibit runs through April 2025 and offers a rich exploration of New York City's pet history, complete with interactive elements and educational displays.

Olson concludes the discussion with a heartfelt invitation:

"It's been wonderful to talk with you. Have a great day."

Alison Stewart adds a final note, promoting upcoming events and guests, ensuring listeners remain engaged with future episodes of All Of It.

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Notable Quotes:

• Alison Stewart [00:17]: "A new exhibit chronicles three centuries of animal companions in New York City..."
• Roberta Olson [01:32]: "It was a long process. It was over three years, three and a half centuries..."
• Roberta Olson [06:29]: "Domestication really occurred when the wild kingdom entered the parlor..."
• Roberta Olson [09:00]: "Emma Thursby was an early animal rights activist..."
• Roberta Olson [10:52]: "Henry Bergh was incensed by the treatment of carriage horses and founded the ASPCA..."
• Roberta Olson [17:21]: "The pooper scooper was invented by a woman in California but made its way to New York..."

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This episode offers a comprehensive and engaging exploration of the intricate relationship between New Yorkers and their pets, illuminating historical contexts, cultural shifts, and the enduring bond that animals have with the city's residents.

Transcript

[WNYC Studios]

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[Alison Stewart]

This is all of it on wnyc. I'm Alison Stewart. A new exhibit chronicles three centuries of animal companions in New York City, from the indigenous people who felt a deep and often spiritual connection to animals, to European settlers who brought with them a specific type of hunting culture, to the 2 million pets who call the city home today. It's titled Pets and the City, and it's currently on display at the New York Historical Society through April of 2025. The expansive exhibit contains photos, paintings, videos, New Yorker magazine covers, history on the city's pooper scooper laws, a tribute to Flacco, and memorabilia and documents like a memo from 1893 granting a celebrated opera singer the right to bring her pet Minor Bird on a Pullman Car company company train. Joining me now is Roberta Olson. She curated the exhibit, a role she is eminently qualified for, not only because she has a PhD in art history, but she has owned almost every single animal in the exhibit, with a few exceptions. Roberta, welcome to all w to wnyc.

[Roberta Olson]

Hello, Alison. Good afternoon. Thank you so much for inviting me. Can I say I'm positively delighted to be with you.

[Alison Stewart]

This exhibit covers three and a half centuries. How did you organize it?

[Roberta Olson]

It was a long process. It was over three years, three and a half centuries. It makes sense. And one had to, you know, cast the wet net very, very widely. The parameters involved really only showing things from the vast collections of New York historical, which comprises both the library and the museum elements. So I had actually curated an exhibition in 2003, a very different one, a chronological one called Petropolis, along with a hist, and that was chronological and small, and this one had to be much, much broader, much larger to have the kind of impact we really wanted it to have. And so it was basically relying on my experience of, I'd say, 25 years with the institution and my knowledge of the collection, and of course, working with so many talented people in various areas of the museum and the library and bringing this together. And I really wanted to go as far back the, shall we say, the artifacts or the objects took us. And so the earliest object in the exhibition is actually from 1710, and there are four prints of indigenous rulers who went to England to petition Queen Anne for British support against the French. They were leaders, chiefs of the Haudenosaunee, and they each are represented with their clan animal. And the indigenous nations on the east coast actually only domesticated the dog. But they had, as you said in your introduction, which was so excellent, said that they had A special spiritual connection with animals. In fact, animals they viewed as other beings who were sentient human beings, and then there were other beings, and they were the other. And each person had a clan animal which was passed down in the matrilineal line, that is, through the mothers. And so these are wonderful examples, examples. And there is in this early part of the exhibition, which talks about powerful animals and actually proto pets, I'd like to call them, and hunting cultures. It explores this. And we have in this not only these four wonderful mezzotints of the portraits of the indigenous leaders, but we also have things like signatures, documents which have never been shown before, where indigenous people signed and they signed with their clan animals. For instance, one, the first in the two documents of 1729, is of a tortoise, and it belonged to a woman, which is really interesting because you have next to the tortoise, the Anglicized version of the name that is by this person who had a pictogram of a tortoise. And it goes on with foxes and other animals, too. They're fantastic. And then, of course, we talk about hunting cultures and, you know, there were no whole foods in those days. And the indigenous cultures, cultures really had a kind of spiritual connection, a moral collection with animals. And their hunting was different than the settler culture, but they still had this hunting, fishing necessity. And actually, if you trace the development of pets or proto pets through the three centuries, you will see that we go from this sort of wild hunting culture to an agrarian culture, to the extreme urbanization that we end up with. So there's a gradual evolution. And the exhibition is really a history of New York City seen through the lens of pets, if you want to say, as well as pets itself. And it encompasses incredible stories. And I can't begin to tell you the richness of it because There are over 300 objects in this particular exhibition. It's huge.

[Alison Stewart]

I have several I want to ask you about, but I do want to ask our listeners, if you have a question about the exhibit, you could give us a call. 212-433-969-2212, wnyc. You can also text that number. Or if you want to shout out your New York City pet and what makes him her so special, let us know. 212-433-WNYC. And if you want to post a picture on Instagram and tag us, we'll be happy about it. Don't text us a picture, however, because that messes up our machine. But you can post it to Instagram we're talking about Pets in the City, an exhibit at the New York Historical Society with its curator, Roberta Olsen. You have in the, in the, in the exhibit, there's all these different sections. There's waste management, there's Mouser, Cuddle, Buddy, Wingman, friend, family, social media star, all the different ways that we refer to our pets. So as a big, broad question, when were animals domesticated in New York?

[Roberta Olson]

Well, it depends on your definition of domestication. And that is the big question that opens the exhibition, opens with the question, what is a pet? And what happens is that slowly. And we see this in these wonderful 18th century, early 18th century portraits of children. It's like baby steps. You see this sort of half in the wilderness and the forested area and half in a more agrarian society. And you see portraits of animals with children. And these animals represent qualities that the parents wanted their children to emulate because it was believed that association with animals was a way of civilizing, and it was also a way of making the children responsible so that they would be responsible adults and be responsible stewards of their lives and their property. What happened was the domestication really occurred, I'd say, when the wild kingdom entered the parlor, as we might say, in the early 19th century. And this was also the age when you began to get a more commercial outlook in New York City, and you got production of implements to deal with this. And as the pets rush into the parlor, you begin to see representations like the wonderful Peale family portrait, with animals, a dog representing fidelity in that. And you also get. When the pets entered the parlor, shall we say, you get lots of birds, because birds were the most important and popular pet before the invention of the gramophone in 1877. In fact, there's a wonderful book called the Book of Household Pets, which was published in 1866, which is a great gauge of the popularity of pets. And it is birds that take up the vast percentage of the number of pages. Dogs rank way back down there, and cats as well as we know the city today is very canine centric and also feline centric, but it's very instructive. And you mentioned someone, you mentioned Emma Thursby. She's a great example. But I also want to say that the first birds were actually native songbirds. And that is one reason why songbirds began to be depleted, because they were sold in the marketplaces in New York City. And so you had Carolina parakeets, you had northern mockingbirds. These were the most popular birds because they brought in song, birdsong, and a feeling of nature that people really wanted. And remember, there was no music, so it was birdsong that was the first sort of music. Now, songbirds began to be replaced in about the mid 19th century by sort of the universal parlor bird, which was the canary imported from the Harz Mountain region of Germany. We. And I mentioned Emma Thursby, and I do want to talk to her because obviously she piqued your interest. She was born in Brooklyn, was a soprano who toured during the Gilded Age, and she had this wonderful minor bird. And the minor bird, she wanted to travel with it. And as you said, she had to get these documents that she could take the bird on the train. She was also an animal rights activist, an early animal rights activist. Interesting. She went through all these processes, and we have some of these documents exhibited there. And what's amazing is there were doubters of this. I mean, it hit the press, obviously, because this is such a great story. And there was one man who, you know, really quizzed her, and he went to visit her, and the Myna bird sang in five languages, okay. And it actually played on the piano. Walking on the keys. Home sweet home. Okay. If you can believe it. And when the bird died in 1899, they did an autopsy and apparently had a huge, huge brain. And then in the exhibition, we also show. We have a whole area of toys that are animal toys.

[Alison Stewart]

But you know what?

[Roberta Olson]

I want to get back.

[Alison Stewart]

I want to get back to the welfare aspect, because you did say something interesting, because New York was on the vanguard of reform in terms of animal welfare. And it was, I believe it was. Henry Berg was the founder of the aspca, and he was a New Yorker.

[Roberta Olson]

He was indeed. Yeah.

[Alison Stewart]

How did.

[Roberta Olson]

He wasn't actually. He was very incensed about the treatment of carriage horses. When we think of trolleys, when we think of transportation in New York, everything was done by horse. They were the powerhouse of the city, and they were very, very mistreated. They would, shall we say, be beaten. They would be starved. They didn't have rules about how they could be treated. And there was a huge flu epidemic, equine flu epidemic. And he actually came across a horse that was being basically trolley with about 100 people and was being beaten, and it was starving. And that just set him off. And it was sort of the last straw in a huge development after the Civil War. Abolitionists and temperance people actually were in the vanguard of what Berg sort of pushed through, which was animal rights. And he passed. He founded the aspca, the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals the same year that New York State passed the first anti cruelty animal act in the nation. Okay? So you had that and you had the aspca. The SPCA started out with horses. They actually paid for an ambulance, if you can believe that, in 1867, to cart these poor horses who had been mistreated. They had watering troughs for them so that they would have water because frequently they had no water accessible to them. And then, of course, the ASPCA moved on. And one of the things they moved on to, of course, was dogs. Dogs, dogs, stray dogs, feral cats as well, but mostly stray dogs threatened with rabies and biting. And of course, you know that the city didn't have actual garbage collection until 1881. They didn't have sewers until after 1849. And everyone threw their trash and their refuse and their offal out into the streets. And this was a real problem. And dogs and cats ate table scraps, okay? And if they were feral, they was ever thrown into the gutter. So you had first boys were hired actually and given bounties for the number of dogs of stray dogs that they could catch after that, dog catchers, can you believe that? That were actually paid by the dog for what they caught until the pound was founded in 1851. And the pound was located on the East River. And we won't go into all the ways they disposed it. No. But I will say that you only had 24 hours to claim your lost dog, okay? And otherwise it would meet a different end. But then this eventually led to other people. And the ASPCA actually took over a more humane treatment of these stray dogs in 1894. And then, because we're doing New York as reform, in 1903, you had the foundation of Bideaui by Florence Kibbe, and that was the first no kill shelter. And it was a very significant development. And then, of course, in 1904, you had the Humane Society. And if. If you look at New York, it's amazing. The American Veterinary Medical association was founded here in 1879. You can just go through the whole list. The first public sector garbage collection took place in 1895. And that was extremely important because before that, the waste management that you referred to were really pigs, 20,000. 20,000 pigs in 1820 roaming the streets. And there is in the exhibition a wonderful print from 1863 of get a load of this. 42nd street between 2nd and 3rd Avenue. And you have pigs and goats and horses and cows roaming in those streets. And Charles Dickens, when he was here, had great things to say about the pigs in the streets and the portly sows, that he thought it was a gentlemanly way they sort of sauntered down the streets. You know what?

[Alison Stewart]

We're gonna run out of time.

[Listener]

So I wanna make sure people know that. There's a great part in the exhibition about presidential picks. There's pictures of rescue dogs from 9 11.

[Alison Stewart]

But you do talk about the pooper scooper law. It would have been 1979 is when it went into effect quickly. Why did you wanna include that in the exhibit?

[Roberta Olson]

Because we talked about waste management before, and there were all kinds of dog laws and canine laws. New York State was the first to pass in 1894 a dog license law, but it only applied to dogs in New York City. And of course, then there was a problem. Once the pigs were removed and there was garbage collection, the next problem was canine waste. And there were all kinds of laws invented in addition to leash and muzzle laws. In 1937, there was a curb your dog law where the dog had to evacuate on the curb. That didn't work. And so as you said in 1978, there was the pooper scooper. And the signs went up in 1979. And we have one of those signs courtesy of the Department of sanitation. We also have a great video public service one that is about that as well. So that went into effect and the pooper scooper was actually invented by a woman in California. However, it made its way to New York, and there were many, of course, patents after that. And it was important. The first fine was a hundred dollars. Today it's $250. And I wonder if any of your listeners have ever seen it enforced, because I spend a lot of time on the street and I have never once seen it enforce, although I have seen very conscientious citizens obeying the rules.

[Listener]

There is so much to see at the New York Historical Society on Central Park west at 77th Street. You can watch Pets and the City. I've been speaking with its curator, Roberta Olson. It'll be on display through April 2025. Thank you so much. We really appreciate your time.

[Roberta Olson]

Thank you, Allison. It's been wonderful to talk with you. Have a great day.

[Listener]

Have a great day. And that is all of it for today. I want to remind you I'll see you at the get lit with all of it at the New York Public Library tonight. Our guests will be Taffy Bredicer Achner and Suzanne Vega. We'll be back tomorrow with more of all of it. Our guests are going to include Percival Everett, Errol Morris and Mary Jeanne. Excuse me, Marianne Jean Baptiste. Her new movie is Hard Truths. It's really good. I appreciate you listening and I appreciate you. I'll see you tonight and I'll meet you back here tomorrow.

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[Roberta Olson]

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[Alison Stewart]

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[WNYC Studios]

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