Richard “Humanity Dick” Martin (left) was both a man of his times, and an exception to it. In this episode, we find out how this distinctive personality—impetuous, generous, dogged, and pugnacious—pursued his causes, both in parliament and outside it. We learn of the context of his life: the revolutions in France and the United States; the emancipation of Catholics and the Act of Union, which saw Ireland joined politically with the rest of Great Britain; and the reformist movements and shifts in relationships with other animals that marked the era. We also explore the blindspots and assumptions that were to mark animal advocacy for two centuries.

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