Tržaško Društvo ljubiteljev živali in njegove dame
Trieste’s Società Zoofila and Its Ladies

Summary/Abstract: In the article, the author presents the Trieste-based Società Zoofila animal protection society, founded in 1852. Its members were united in their commitment to improving the living conditions of animals. They organised regular meetings to critically discuss the suffering of various animals. With lectures, various publications, public debates, reprimands, awards, and appeals to the supervisory authorities, they also addressed the general population. In European cities, this kind of interest in the protection of animals arose in the 19th century. It spread among the progress-oriented urban elites. This was also true of the Trieste association, in which the local elite gathered. What separated the Animal Lovers Society from other Trieste societies was not the class structure of its membership, but rather the above-average involvement of women or, more precisely, ladies or female members of the local aristocracy and the bourgeoisie. In the present article, the author introduces the Society and sheds light on whether and how the Animal Lovers Society can also be understood as emancipatory – as a potential step on the way towards women’s equality.

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