On July 22, 1822, the Cruel Treatment of Cattle Act, sponsored by the Irish Member of Parliament Richard “Humanity Dick” Martin, was signed into law by King George IV. The Act is widely considered to be the first piece of animal welfare legislation from a Western political body. Through an audio documentary, interviews, and essays, CAF tells the story of Richard Martin, and the Act’s legacy over two centuries of animal advocacy. This is Martin’s Act at 200.
As its name suggests, chart2050 does more than reflect on the past to examine the present reality for animals and advocacy on their behalf. Drawing its inspiration from the British Chartist movement of the 1830s and 1840s, which presented six demands for political reform, chart2050 is an invitation to imagine the next three decades of animal advocacy, and for communities around the world to consider what their demands might be, given the realities of the climate and biodiversity crises and the need to protect democracy, enhance resilience, and foster environmental justice.
Sponsored by the Culture & Animals Foundation and Martin Rowe, and directed by writer Alex Lockwood, chart2050 and the Martin’s Act at 200 audio documentary offer a critical examination of learning from the past to conceive of a better future. To listen to the entire series, as well as the trailer for the Martin’s Act at 200 audio documentary, click here. Individual episodes are as follows:
#1: Origins (released on July 22, 2022)
#2: Passage of Martin’s Act (released on July 22, 2022)
#3: Immediate Impacts (released on September 6, 2022)
#4: Dogs and Monsters (released in December 2022)
#5: Twenty Years of Change: 1962–1982 (released in December 2022)
#6: From Past to Future (released in January 2023)