How Victorians Became Obsessed With Their Pets and Took It Too Far | Boring History for Sleep

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The Victorians loved animals more than any generation before them. They kept dogs, cats, birds, rabbits, monkeys, hedgehogs, and even exotic creatures as companions. Pet ownership exploded during the 19th century, helping create many of the attitudes toward animals that still exist today. But Victorian devotion to pets sometimes crossed the line into the strange, obsessive, and downright bizarre.

In this video, we explore how Victorians became obsessed with their pets and took it too far. Discover why wealthy families commissioned elaborate pet portraits, held lavish pet funerals, dressed animals in custom clothing, and spent fortunes on pampered companions. Learn how the rise of the middle class, changing ideas about family life, and growing concern for animal welfare transformed pets from working animals into beloved household members.

Resources:
At Home with the Victorians: A Day in the Life of a Nineteenth-Century Household – W.W. Norton & Company – https://wwnorton