Henry Bergh Founder Of The Aspca

Originally Aired: April 21, 1941 Cavalcade of America #223, "Henry Bergh Founder Of The Aspca," distinguished writer Albert Payson Terhune narrates the inspiring story of his friend Henry Bergh, the crusading founder of the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. The episode traces Bergh's transformation from a young secretary at the American Embassy in St. Petersburg, where a pivotal encounter with a peasant brutally beating an overloaded donkey awakens his passion for animal welfare. When Bergh attempts to intervene, he discovers a harsh truth about Russian society: people respect the uniform, not the man wearing it. Returning to New York, Bergh throws himself into an uphill battle to establish legal protections for animals. Despite securing prominent supporters like Horace Greeley and John Jacob Astor for his petition, and successfully founding the ASPCA in 1866, Bergh faces enormous challenges enforcing the new laws. With limited funds, no helpers, and no legal authority to arrest or prosecute offenders, he must resort to unorthodox methods to protect suffering animals, leading him to seek greater police powers from Mayor Hoffman.