Erection date: 12/12/1985
{The plinth carries the following texts on bronze plaques, reading from the front, anti-clockwise:}
{Plaque 1:}
This monument replaces the original memorial to the Brown Dog erected by public subscriptions in Latchmere Recreation Ground, Battersea, in 1906.The sufferings of Brown Dog at the hands of vivisectors generated much protest and mass demonstrations. It represented the revulsion of the people of London to vivisection and animal experimentation. This new monument is dedicated to the continuing struggle to end these practices.
After much controversy the former monument was removed in the early hours of 10th March 1910. This was the result of a decision taken by the then Battersea Metropolitan Borough Council, the previous Council having supported the erection of the memorial.
{Plaque 2:}
Animal experimentation is one of the greatest moral issues of our time and should have no place in a civilised society.
In 1903, 19,084 animals suffered and died in British laboratories. During 1984 3,497,335 experiments were performed on live animals in Great Britain. Today, animals are burned, blinded, irradiated, poisoned and subjected to countless other horrifyingly cruel experiments in Great Britain.
{Plaque 3:}
Funded by the British Union for the Abolition of Vivisection and the National Anti-Vivisection Society.
Site provided by the Greater London Council.
Sculptor Nicola Hicks.
Unveiled on 12th December 1985.
{Plaque 4:}
In memory of the Brown Terrier dog done to death in the laboratories of University College in February 1903 after having endured vivisection - extending over more than two months and having been handed over from one vivisector to another till death came to his release.
Also in memory of the 232 dogs vivisected at the same place during the year 1902.
Men and women of England, how long shall these things be?
See our page for the original statue for a description of the Brown Dog affair. This ended when, in 1910 the original statue was removed from its site (just to the south of the Park) and destroyed. Vivisection continued and so did the opposition to it. Many years later, the National Anti-Vivisection Society and the British Union for the Abolition of Vivisection commissioned this new statue. The sculptor, Nicola Hicks, based the statue on her own terrier, Brock, and it was erected in the Park in 1985, but not here.
The statue was first erected behind the Pump House where it was unveiled by actress Geraldine James (fresh from the success of Jewel in the Crown). Due to the water in the background we think the first photo on Advocacy shows it in this site. In 1992 it was removed, apparently due to a park renovation scheme, and then re-erected at its current site, in 1994.
The text on plaque 4 is an exact copy of the words on the original memorial.
Site: Brown dog statue (1 memorial)
SW11, Battersea Park, Woodland Walk
The memorial is beside a narrow path through a small wooded area immediately to the east of the Old English Garden.
We normally take a long shot to help locate the memorial but this one is surrounded by trees. So Instead we took a photo showing how the plinth has been carved with leaf shapes. The whole monument is rather sorry looking - stained with green (as you'd expect with all the overhanging trees) and the plaques showing signs of having been graffitied. An old wreath hanging on the fence suggests that commemorative events may be held here.
We had some trouble finding this statue, and given the story of the original statue, we think that may be deliberate.
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