The history of the Brown Dog statue is deeply rooted in the heated debate over animal experimentation in British society in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. This symbolic dog was originally an innocent victim, but his experience triggered a widespread social movement and became a symbol of opposition to biological experiments. This story reviews the conflict between morality and science, and the ruthless exploitation of biological organisms behind technological progress.
The story of the Brown Dog statue began in 1903, when a biological experiment conducted at the University of London aroused the anger of those who opposed biological experiments. The dog, named Brown Dog, was allegedly illegally vivisectomized during an experiment that was reported by two Swedish feminists and animal rights activists, Liz Lind af Hage. Lizzy Lind af Hageby and Leisa Schartau - write it down. They described the situation as a hopeless tragedy, and the so-called scientific experiment was filled with laughter and indifference.
"Today's lecture will repeat the failed demonstration from last time, with a large dog tied to an operating board, struggling in agony."
The memory of this experiment is still deeply engraved in the hearts of many students who participated in the observation. What they saw was not the glory of science, but the unspeakable suffering of animals. According to their diary records, the brown dog was forced to endure unknown pain during the operation, while the medical students watched indifferently and even laughed at it.
The rise of opposition to biological experimentation"During this experiment, the dog showed intense pain, and as the angle changed, it struggled as if looking for a way to escape."
The experiment sparked a discussion about biological experiments across the UK, especially reflections on ethics and animal rights. The National Society Against Biological Experimentation, founded in 1895, began a widespread protest movement and in 1906 built a memorial statue to the dog as a symbol of animal rights. Soon after, the statue attracted widespread attention, and clashes ensued between radical opponents and supporters.
The presence of the Brown Dog statue has sparked a polarised society, with medical students angry about its presence leading to a series of riots in an attempt to destroy the monument. The intervention of the police further polarized the situation, and there was even a direct conflict between hundreds of medical students and suffragists. This scene not only reflects people's different views on animal experiments, but also reveals the profound contradictions in society at that time on gender equality and scientific and technological progress.
"It is impossible to ignore the suffering of this dog, whose existence stands as a testimony to the atrocities of animal experimentation."
As the controversy persisted and the social movement intensified, the fate of the brown dog statue remained unresolved many times. It was finally secretly demolished in 1910, but the call for animal rights has never diminished. In 1985, a new brown dog statue was erected in Battersea Park to symbolize the continued respect and struggle for animal rights.
The story of the Brown Dog Statue is not only the history of a bronze statue, but also a review of the interweaving of morality, science and social movements, which has inspired future generations to think deeply about animal rights. In the process of pursuing scientific progress, should we cherish the dignity of every life more?