About Henry Bergh
Henry Bergh founded the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA) in April, 1866, three days after the first effective legislation against animal cruelty in the United States was passed into law by the New York State Legislature. One of the tasks he undertook was to pass a law that would prohibit the use of dogs for the monotonous and hot task of turning grills in restaurants. Later, when Bergh went to visit restaurants to monitor law enforcement, he discovered that numerous restaurants had replaced dogs with black children. Therefore, Bergh also prompted the formation, in 1874, of the New York Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children (NYSPCC). In the spring of 2006 at Green-Wood Cemetery, while making preparations to honor Bergh, the ASPCA discovered that his wife was also in that mausoleum. On May 6, substantive ceremonies were held before a large audience which was allowed to bring their pets into the cemetery – including dogs, for the first time in over a century.
Biography source: Wikipedia. The profile adds birthday-specific historical context from the Celebs Birthday Today editorial database.