Before the Victorian era, keeping a pet was considered frivolous and frowned upon. Scamper forward to now and over 22 million cats and dogs are pampered in loving homes throughout Britain. We really have the Victorians to thank for our canine and feline friends. The Victorians turned us Brits into a nation of pet lovers with a special place in our hearts for the family dog.
THE VICTORIAN ERA MARKED THE BEGINNING OF KEEPING PETS, ESPECIALLY DOGS
The trend began when aspirational Victorian middle class families bought pedigree dogs to signal their higher wealth and status. Dogs had traditionally been restricted to a kennel in the backyard but were then invited into the home and welcomed by the warmth of the fireside. They were taken to the heart of the Victorian home.
Even Queen Victoria took a dog and was frequently photographed with it in her Scottish country residence, Balmoral.
OTHER PETS WERE POPULAR IN THE VICTORIAN ERA TOO
Working class families became pet lovers too. They would capture wild birds such as linnets, thrushes and blackbirds and keep them in cages hung outside their windows.
Colourful birds, such as wild parrots and even monkeys imported from the Empire’s far-flung colonies, were popular choices for the wealthiest families. The Victorian aristocracy saw nothing cruel or immoral about extracting such exotics from their natural habitats and domesticating them in cages.
RABBITS WERE POPULAR PETS
Pet rabbits were popular with the Victorians too. Boys would be expected to catch the rabbits in the wild, build hutches from scratch and look after them. Before the Victorian era, rabbits were trapped and kept strictly for the pot.
Cats were widely owned but were held in less regard and rarely “petted”. Their role was rather more functional; they had an important job to help control pests such as rats and mice. If they weren’t up to the task, they were dispatched dispassionately.
But today we are committed pet lovers and few homes are complete without a loyal dog by the fireside or a cat purring on a windowsill.
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DOGS EMBODIED VICTORIAN VALUES
Dogs were especially favoured by the Victorians because they embodied cultural values Victorians favoured. They were loyal, courageous and devoted to their masters.
The rise in popularity of the dog and a concern for the fate of strays was accompanied by the emergence of the first homes for street dogs. A “Temporary Home for Lost and Starving Dogs” opened in Holloway in 1860. It later moved south and became the famous Battersea Dogs Home – still open to this day and now known as Battersea Dogs & Cats Home – which rescues dogs and cats and cares for them until they can be rehomed.
In 1873, the Kennel Club was formed and began organising beauty and obedience competitions for pedigree dogs.
A NATION OF PAMPERED POOCHES
A whole new industry was developing with food manufacturers, grooming products, and specialist equipment with which pet lovers could care for and pamper their animals. Pet parlours, veterinary services and even pet cemeteries were soon created to ensure the dog was well cared for and healthy during life and treated with respect, remembrance and fondness after death.
The Victorians made sure the dog was a member of the family rather than a pet, and that’s why a loyal and well-trained dog might just be the final part of your authentic Victorian home if you’re an animal lover like the Victorians.
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