{"id":1269,"date":"2025-12-15T22:19:48","date_gmt":"2025-12-15T22:19:48","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/unewhavendh.org\/thinking-historically-about-monuments-and-memorials\/?p=1269"},"modified":"2025-12-16T03:20:08","modified_gmt":"2025-12-16T03:20:08","slug":"the-brown-dog-statue","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/unewhavendh.org\/thinking-historically-about-monuments-and-memorials\/2025\/12\/15\/the-brown-dog-statue\/","title":{"rendered":"The Brown Dog Statue"},"content":{"rendered":"
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\"\"<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

Historical Background<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Notably known as the Brown Dog Affair, due to the complexity of this controversial statue, the original Brown Dog Statue was\u00a0constructed in 1906 and proudly held its position until its removal in 1910.\u00a0The\u00a0small, brown terrier\u00a0was given no name\u00a0due to\u00a0it\u00a0not having an\u00a0owner, which without\u00a0the human-animal relationship of trust and\u00a0loyalty;\u00a0the dog was simply\u00a0a\u00a0research\u00a0subject\u00a0to\u00a0be experimented on.\u00a0The terrier was placed in the hands of\u00a0multiple\u00a0vivisection\u00a0doctors\u00a0at the University of College London\u00a0and\u00a0underwent two\u00a0procedures over two months, violating the The Cruelty to Animals Act 1876<\/strong>.\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Vivisection is the practice of performing surgical\u00a0procedures and dissection\u00a0on live subjects\u00a0for the purpose of medical research.\u00a0In\u00a0essence, The\u00a0Cruelty to\u00a0Animals Act 1876<\/strong>\u00a0states:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    \n
  • A person cannot\u00a0perform an experiment on a living animal intending to inflict pain.\u00a0<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  • The experiment must be performed by a qualified individual with\u00a0a\u00a0proper license.\u00a0<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  • The subject must be under the influence of an anesthetic during the entire procedure.\u00a0<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  • Pain is likely to continue\u00a0after the procedure, so\u00a0the animal must be properly killed before it can recover from the anesthetic administered.\u00a0<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n

    Medical students, Leisa\u00a0Schartau\u00a0and Louise\u00a0af\u00a0Hageby were present during\u00a0one of the lectures where the vivisections occurred. In their book\u00a0The Shambles of Science<\/strong>,\u00a0<\/em>they claimed that the terrier had wounds from\u00a0previous\u00a0experimentation, was not properly anesthetized during the procedure, and\u00a0wasn\u2019t\u00a0put down by a licensed individual.\u00a0Following these accusations\u00a0were\u00a0countless accounts of violence and riots from London\u2019s medical students\u00a0towards the monument that brought recognition to these crimes.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Experimentation<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

    Surgical procedures began on this terrier in December of 1902 by Professor Starling at the UCL and continued into February 1903.\u00a0At this time, the dog was reopened\u00a0as a result\u00a0of\u00a0the first procedure and was then handed over to Dr. Bayliss.\u00a0Experiments were conducted on nerve responses and the salvia glands\u00a0utilizing\u00a0the\u00a0pancreas, including having the paws and testicles crushed. In the book mentioned above,\u00a0The Shambles of Science,\u00a0<\/em>authors Hageby and\u00a0Schartau\u00a0write\u00a0that;<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    …the brown dog already had a wound from\u00a0a previous\u00a0experiment. They argued that the brown dog had not been properly anesthetized while his neck was cut open to expose the saliva glands to show that the pressure at which saliva was secreted was greater than blood pressure. Finally, they alleged, the dog was killed by\u00a0a knife through its heart by an unlicensed research student. They also\u00a0stated\u00a0in a section headed \u201cFun\u201d that students had laughed and joked during the\u00a0experiment<\/p>-Hilda Kean<\/cite><\/blockquote><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

    The Original Statue<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

    The original statue was an 18\u201d tall bronze terrier sculpted by Joseph Whitehead\u00a0within a 7\u2019 6\u201d tall marble fountain\u00a0that stood on a plinth.\u00a0The\u00a0stance\u00a0of the sculpted dog\u00a0was tall instead of cowering down, intended to\u00a0symbolize\u00a0pride and dignity. Not only was the purpose of the statue to\u00a0commemorate the unnecessary death of the brown dog, but to censure the vivisection scientist\u00a0for the lack of human qualities and compassion towards a living creature.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Symbolism was also created by the location being in\u00a0Latchmere\u00a0Recreation Grounds,\u00a0Battersea,\u00a0near the grounds of the UCL campus. Near this area\u00a0was\u00a0the Battersea\u00a0Dogs Home for stray dogs and cats,\u00a0established\u00a0in 1860, and less than half a mile away stood the Brown Animal Sanatory Institute that conducted experiments on animals. This area being\u00a0prominently a focal point for animals was also\u00a0a thriving location for human politics, being that the local council\u00a0was run by socialists and feminists\u00a0who were advocators for the brown dog.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Inscription<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

    In Memory of the Brown Terrier Dog Done to Death in the Laboratories of University College in February 1903, after having endured Vivisection extending over more than two months and having been handed from one Vivisector to another till Death came to his Release. Also in Memory of the 232 dogs vivisected at the same place during the year 1902. Men and Women of England, how long shall these things be?<\/p><\/blockquote><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

    Attack<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

    The construction of the monument\u00a0caused an uproar amongst\u00a0medical students in London and at the University College London,\u00a0who vouched that the vivisection procedures towards the brown dog did not violate\u00a0the Cruelty to Animals Act 1876.\u00a0As a result, the bronze statue was physically attacked by medical students from UCL in November 1907 and March 2008. During this attack, the students created\u00a0models of the terrier and marched around the area with the model on skewers.\u00a0Riots broke\u00a0out\u00a0causing the local council to\u00a0establish\u00a0security to protect the statue. With the cost to protect the\u00a0statue\u00a0becoming\u00a0to\u00a0high\u00a0and the election of a new, Conservative, council, the statue was\u00a0removed.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    With great attempts,\u00a0a defense\u00a0committee\u00a0was\u00a0created on behalf of preventing\u00a0the\u00a0statue\u2019s\u00a0removal.\u00a0Speeches were given at Trafalgar Square and Hyde Park to supporters in masks resembling the\u00a0terrier.\u00a0With the opponent being too powerful, the statue was removed in March 1910 and placed in the hands of a blacksmith, who destroyed it to prevent it from being reinstated.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    The statue that challenged assumptions about society\u2019s humanity, that com- memorated the dogs \u201cdone to death\u201d in laboratories, and that presented us with uncomfortable stories of cruelty, did not\u00a0survive.<\/p>– Hilda Kean<\/cite><\/blockquote><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

    The Replacement<\/h2>\n\n\n
    \n
    \"\"<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

    Word spread, which fueled the advocators and activists of the National\u00a0Anti-Vivisection\u00a0Society and British Union for the Abolition of Vivisection.\u00a0Here, members and campaigners raised money to create a replacement statue. The replacement statue was constructed\u00a0and unveiled in December 1985\u00a0in a new location, Battersea Park, which was run by the GLC Arts and Recreation Committee in Battersea Park.\u00a0The inscription and plinth\u00a0were\u00a0kept the\u00a0same;\u00a0however,\u00a0the change in physical appearance was necessary.\u00a0The new sculptor was created by Nicola Hicks and was based on her dog, Brock. The altered appearance included a completely different dog, from a terrier to\u00a0now a beagle, and the pose was changed. Instead of standing tall to inflict strength and pride, the new dog was\u00a0position\u00a0to look confused by having\u00a0it\u2019s\u00a0head\u00a0cocked to the side, depicting the lost human-dog\u00a0bond when the human presence is absent. The purpose for this was to make the monument less controversial and\u00a0\u201ceasier\u201d\u00a0for the viewer to look at as well as not sparking riots due to separating it from\u00a0its\u00a0original anti-vivisection message.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Modern Day<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

    The Brown Dog Statue prominently stands to this\u00a0day; however, it does not provoke riots and violence. Instead, the statue is used as a symbol\u00a0for the Animal Rights Movement, the Anti-vivisection Movement, and\u00a0an\u00a0artifact used by\u00a0advocators\u00a0in\u00a0efforts\u00a0to\u00a0change\u00a0and\u00a0eliminate\u00a0animal testing in the future.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    References<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
      \n
    • Galloway, John. \u201cDogged by Controversy.\u201d Nature, vol. 394, no. 6694, Aug. 1998, pp. 635\u201336. EBSCOhost, https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1038\/29220.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
    • The Cruelty to Animals Act 1876<\/em>. 39 & 40 Vict. c. 77. United Kingdom Parliament, 1876.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
    • Kean, Hilda. \u201cAn Exploration of the Sculptures of Greyfriars Bobby, Edinburgh, Scotland, and the Brown Dog, Battersea, South London, England.\u201d Society & Animals, vol. 11, no. 4, Dec. 2003, pp. 353\u201373. EBSCOhost, https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1163\/156853003322796082.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
    • Aminoff, Michael J. \u201cAntivivisectionist Claims and Clamor.\u201d\u00a0Victor Horsley: The World\u2019s First Neurosurgeon and His Conscience<\/em>. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2022. 128\u2013136. Print.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
    • Alyssa Chen Walker. \u201cBringing the Laboratory Dog Home.\u201d Humanimalia, vol. 4, no. 2, Feb. 2013. EBSCOhost, https:\/\/doi.org\/10.52537\/humanimalia.9995.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
    • \u201cThe Brown Dog.\u201d The British Medical Journal, vol. 1, no. 2455, Jan. 1908, pp. 165\u201366. EBSCOhost, research.ebsco.com\/linkprocessor\/plink?id=e7260686-4b93-3d11-b7c9-44562dc14f9c.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
    • Garlick, Ben. \u201cNot All Dogs Go to Heaven, Some Go to Battersea: Sharing Suffering and the \u2018Brown Dog Affair.\u2019\u201d Social & Cultural Geography, vol. 16, no. 7, Nov. 2015, pp. 798\u2013820. EBSCOhost, https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1080\/14649365.2015.1016096.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
    • Bates, Alan W. H.. \u201cBoycotted Hospital: The National Anti-Vivisection Hospital, London, 1903\u20131935.\u201d Journal of Animal Ethics 6 (2016): 177 – 187.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
    • Brant, Linda. \u201cMonuments of Compassion.\u201d The Journal of Public Space (2020): n. pag.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
    • \u201cBRONZE DOG CAUSES TROUBLE.\u201d The Marble Booster, Volume 1, Number 13, June 10, 1911, www.coloradohistoricnewspapers.org\/?a=d&d=MRB19110610-01.2.22&srpos=1&e=——-en-20–1–img-txIN%7CtxCO%7CtxTA-%22Brown+Dog+Statue%22——-0——. Accessed 1911.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
    • “Brown Dog – Battersea Park – 2008-04-09” by\u00a0Tagishsimon\u00a0is licensed under\u00a0CC BY-SA 4.0.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
    • “Statue of brown dog – 2014-10-09” by Welcome Library, London is licensed under CC BY 4.0<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n

      <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

      Historical Background Notably known as the Brown Dog Affair, due to the complexity of this controversial statue, the original Brown Dog Statue was\u00a0constructed in 1906 and proudly held its position until its removal in 1910.\u00a0The\u00a0small, brown terrier\u00a0was given no name\u00a0due to\u00a0it\u00a0not having an\u00a0owner, which without\u00a0the human-animal relationship of trust and\u00a0loyalty;\u00a0the …<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":901,"featured_media":1270,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"portfolio_post_id":0,"portfolio_citation":"","portfolio_annotation":"","openlab_post_visibility":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[96],"tags":[105,106,107],"ppma_author":[90],"class_list":["post-1269","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-victim-monument","tag-animal-rights","tag-animal-testing","tag-anti-vivisection"],"authors":[{"term_id":90,"user_id":901,"is_guest":0,"slug":"cbenn5","display_name":"Chloe Benner","avatar_url":"\/\/www.gravatar.com\/avatar\/0025472881a8be140d4282f8246e13d8?s=96&r=g&d=https%3A%2F%2Funewhavendh.org%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2023%2F09%2Fdefault-avatar-full.png","author_category":"","first_name":"Chloe","last_name":"Benner","user_url":"","job_title":"","description":""}],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/unewhavendh.org\/thinking-historically-about-monuments-and-memorials\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1269","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/unewhavendh.org\/thinking-historically-about-monuments-and-memorials\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/unewhavendh.org\/thinking-historically-about-monuments-and-memorials\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/unewhavendh.org\/thinking-historically-about-monuments-and-memorials\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/901"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/unewhavendh.org\/thinking-historically-about-monuments-and-memorials\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1269"}],"version-history":[{"count":13,"href":"https:\/\/unewhavendh.org\/thinking-historically-about-monuments-and-memorials\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1269\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1294,"href":"https:\/\/unewhavendh.org\/thinking-historically-about-monuments-and-memorials\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1269\/revisions\/1294"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/unewhavendh.org\/thinking-historically-about-monuments-and-memorials\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1270"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/unewhavendh.org\/thinking-historically-about-monuments-and-memorials\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1269"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/unewhavendh.org\/thinking-historically-about-monuments-and-memorials\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1269"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/unewhavendh.org\/thinking-historically-about-monuments-and-memorials\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1269"},{"taxonomy":"author","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/unewhavendh.org\/thinking-historically-about-monuments-and-memorials\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/ppma_author?post=1269"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}