Born in Nova Scotia, Margaret Marshall Saunders (1861-1947) taught school briefly before starting her career as a novelist. Her second book, Beautiful Joe, achieved international recognition. Inspired during a visit to Meaford Ontario about 1892, it is based on the story of a dog rescued from a brutal master by a local miller, William Moore. Margaret relocated the story to a small town in Maine and changed the family’s name to Morris to win a literary contest sponsored by the American Humane Education Society. The book quickly became the first Canadian book to sell more than a million copies. Miss Saunders was awarded the Companion of the British Empire (CBE) in 1934 in recognition of her contribution toward securing humane treatment for animals.
HELPING TEACHERS INSPIRE COMPASSION FOR ANIMALS, PEOPLE & THE ENVIRONMENT
