<Table> <Tr> <Th> Year </Th> <Th> Event </Th> <Th> Country or region </Th> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> c. 530 BCE </Td> <Td> Greek philosopher Pythagoras is the first in a line of several Greek and Roman philosophers to teach that animals have souls and advocate for vegetarianism . </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> c. 269 - c. 232 BCE </Td> <Td> Indian emperor Ashoka converts to Buddhism and issues edicts advocating vegetarianism and offering protections to wild and domestic animals . </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 100s </Td> <Td> Greek medical researcher and philosopher Galen 's experiments on live animals help establish vivisection as a widely used scientific tool . </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 675 </Td> <Td> Japanese Emperor Tenmu , a devout Buddhist , bans eating meat ( with exceptions for fish and wild animals ) . </Td> <Td> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Early 1600s </Td> <Td> Philosopher and scientist René Descartes argues that animals are machines without feeling , and performs biological experiments on living animals . </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 1635 </Td> <Td> The Parliament of Ireland passes `` An Act against Plowing by the Tayle , and pulling the Wooll off living Sheep '' , one of the first known pieces of animal protection legislation . </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 1641 </Td> <Td> Regulations against `` Tirranny or Crueltie '' toward domestic animals are included in the Massachusetts Body of Liberties . </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 1687 </Td> <Td> The Japanese ban on eating meat , which had waned with the arrival of Portuguese and Dutch missionaries , is reintroduced by the Tokugawa shogunate . Killing animals is also prohibited . </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 1780 </Td> <Td> In An Introduction to the Principles of Morals and Legislation philosopher Jeremy Bentham argues for better treatment of animals on the basis of their ability to feel pleasure and pain , famously writing , `` The question is not , Can they reason ? nor , Can they talk ? but , Can they suffer ? '' </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 1822 </Td> <Td> Led by Richard Martin , British Parliament passes the `` Act to Prevent the Cruel and Improper Treatment of Cattle '' . </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 1824 </Td> <Td> Richard Martin , along with Reverend Arthur Broome and abolitionist Member of Parliament William Wilberforce , founds the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals ( now the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals ) , the world 's first animal protection organization . </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 1830s </Td> <Td> Early vegan and anti-vivisectionist Lewis Gompertz leaves the SPCA to found the Animals ' Friend Society , opposing all uses of animals which are not for their benefit . </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 1835 </Td> <Td> Britain passes its first Cruelty to Animal Act after lobbying from the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals , expanding existing legislation to protect bulls , dogs , bears , and sheep , and prohibit bear - baiting and cock - fighting . </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 1847 </Td> <Td> The term `` vegetarian '' is coined and the Vegetarian Society is founded in Britain . </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 1859 </Td> <Td> Charles Darwin 's On the Origin of Species is published , demonstrating that humans are the evolutionary descendants of non-human animals . </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 1866 </Td> <Td> The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals is established . </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 1866 onwards </Td> <Td> Under the Meiji Restoration and renewed contact with the West , the Japanese taboo against meat - eating is actively discouraged by the government . Meat - eating soon becomes the norm . </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 1875 </Td> <Td> Frances Power Cobbe founds the National Anti-Vivisection Society in Britain , the world 's first anti-vivisection organization . </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 1876 </Td> <Td> After lobbying from anti-vivisectionists , Britain passes the Cruelty to Animals Act of 1876 , the first piece of national legislation to regulate animal experimentation . </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 1877 </Td> <Td> Anna Sewell 's Black Beauty , the first English novel to be written from the perspective of a non-human animal , spurs concern for the welfare of horses . </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 1892 </Td> <Td> Social reformer Henry Salt publishes Animals ' Rights : Considered in Relation to Social Progress , an early exposition of the philosophy of animal rights . </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 1903 - 1910 </Td> <Td> The Brown Dog affair brings anti-vivisection to the forefront of public debate in Britain . </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 1923 </Td> <Td> Intensive animal farming begins when Celia Steele raises her first flock of chickens for meat . </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 1944
<Table> <Tr> <Th> Year </Th> <Th> Event </Th> <Th> Country or region </Th> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> c. 530 BCE </Td> <Td> Greek philosopher Pythagoras is the first in a line of several Greek and Roman philosophers to teach that animals have souls and advocate for vegetarianism . </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> c. 269 - c. 232 BCE </Td> <Td> Indian emperor Ashoka converts to Buddhism and issues edicts advocating vegetarianism and offering protections to wild and domestic animals . </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 100s </Td> <Td> Greek medical researcher and philosopher Galen 's experiments on live animals help establish vivisection as a widely used scientific tool . </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 675 </Td> <Td> Japanese Emperor Tenmu , a devout Buddhist , bans eating meat ( with exceptions for fish and wild animals ) . </Td> <Td> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Early 1600s </Td> <Td> Philosopher and scientist René Descartes argues that animals are machines without feeling , and performs biological experiments on living animals . </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 1635 </Td> <Td> The Parliament of Ireland passes `` An Act against Plowing by the Tayle , and pulling the Wooll off living Sheep '' , one of the first known pieces of animal protection legislation . </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 1641 </Td> <Td> Regulations against `` Tirranny or Crueltie '' toward domestic animals are included in the Massachusetts Body of Liberties . </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 1687 </Td> <Td> The Japanese ban on eating meat , which had waned with the arrival of Portuguese and Dutch missionaries , is reintroduced by the Tokugawa shogunate . Killing animals is also prohibited . </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 1780 </Td> <Td> In An Introduction to the Principles of Morals and Legislation philosopher Jeremy Bentham argues for better treatment of animals on the basis of their ability to feel pleasure and pain , famously writing , `` The question is not , Can they reason ? nor , Can they talk ? but , Can they suffer ? '' </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 1822 </Td> <Td> Led by Richard Martin , British Parliament passes the `` Act to Prevent the Cruel and Improper Treatment of Cattle '' . </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 1824 </Td> <Td> Richard Martin , along with Reverend Arthur Broome and abolitionist Member of Parliament William Wilberforce , founds the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals ( now the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals ) , the world 's first animal protection organization . </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 1830s </Td> <Td> Early vegan and anti-vivisectionist Lewis Gompertz leaves the SPCA to found the Animals ' Friend Society , opposing all uses of animals which are not for their benefit . </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 1835 </Td> <Td> Britain passes its first Cruelty to Animal Act after lobbying from the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals , expanding existing legislation to protect bulls , dogs , bears , and sheep , and prohibit bear - baiting and cock - fighting . </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 1847 </Td> <Td> The term `` vegetarian '' is coined and the Vegetarian Society is founded in Britain . </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 1859 </Td> <Td> Charles Darwin 's On the Origin of Species is published , demonstrating that humans are the evolutionary descendants of non-human animals . </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 1866 </Td> <Td> The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals is established . </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 1866 onwards </Td> <Td> Under the Meiji Restoration and renewed contact with the West , the Japanese taboo against meat - eating is actively discouraged by the government . Meat - eating soon becomes the norm . </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 1875 </Td> <Td> Frances Power Cobbe founds the National Anti-Vivisection Society in Britain , the world 's first anti-vivisection organization . </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 1876 </Td> <Td> After lobbying from anti-vivisectionists , Britain passes the Cruelty to Animals Act of 1876 , the first piece of national legislation to regulate animal experimentation . </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 1877 </Td> <Td> Anna Sewell 's Black Beauty , the first English novel to be written from the perspective of a non-human animal , spurs concern for the welfare of horses . </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 1892 </Td> <Td> Social reformer Henry Salt publishes Animals ' Rights : Considered in Relation to Social Progress , an early exposition of the philosophy of animal rights . </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 1903 - 1910 </Td> <Td> The Brown Dog affair brings anti-vivisection to the forefront of public debate in Britain . </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 1923 </Td> <Td> Intensive animal farming begins when Celia Steele raises her first flock of chickens for meat . </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 1944
when was the first animal rights law passed
when was the first animal rights law passed
1635
1635