Humanity Dick and the meat industry | Letters

Mike Harding on Richard Martin, who pushed the Cruel and Improper Treatment of Cattle Act through parliament in 1822, and Robin Russell-Jones on how our love of meat is helping to drive other mammals to extinction

"Humanity Dick" (real name Richard Martin), who got the Cruel and Improper Treatment of Cattle Act that you mention in your briefing (What is the true cost of meat?, 7 May) passed in 1822, was the owner of Ballynahinch Castle in Connemara.

In the middle of Ballynahinch Lough there is a small island; Humanity Dick used to have anybody he found mistreating animals rowed out there and marooned until they repented of their crimes. He was particularly hard on anybody who mistreated donkeys it seems.