Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1860-03-09
agricultural.
PROTECTION OF SHEEP TAX THE
DOCS.

DOGS.
rive ask especial attention to the communication be-
low. Lot public spirited individual in each county
gather facts and statistics, and the Of people will be
startled with the result We suggest that every Agncul
tra Society appoint standing committee sheep
killing dogs, report year, or ohcner.-EDl
To The Editor Of the american Agriciilturist
notice in the current January Agricultur-
ist the remark; We cannot keep sheep on nc
count of The dogs In many parts of the
country, that has been. and is supposed to be
an inevitable evil attendant upon that depart
ment of husbandry. But there is a remedy
and power in the agricultural community to
protect their interests in this most profitable
and pleasant department Of their industry.
In Massachusetts, and Connecticut, laws
have been enacted levying tax upon dogs,
of > each, and on every slut So each dog
thus taxed is registered in the Clerks Office
of the town where owned, and must also wear
a collar, with the owners name on it. Every
dog not thus taxed, registered, and colared,
may be killed by any one. Sherfis, Consta-
bles are required to kill them, or. after re-
quest, are liable to pay fine If they refuse.
Amy one keeping or harboring an unlawful
dog, is liable to a fine of $40. Dogs thus tax
ed, etc, are protected from destruction under
severe penalties If found destroying sheep
/ their lives are forfeited, and the owner re-
/ qured to pay all damages. The moneys thus
levied, constitute a fund with which to pay
for destruction of sheep by dogs undotected
Every State in the Union should have such
law, and farmers must work for it.
Two years ago, having learned that one mar
in this county had ninety sheep killed in one
day by two dogs, and his neighbor 500
worth of Cotswolds Il believe) at the sam,
time, and by the same dogs, with the assist
ance of few gentlemen, in different towns O
Southern Berkshire, | commenced gathering
facts. ! had reliable information from far
mers who had suffered, that in this half O
the country, in the five preceding years, dog
had destroyed sheep to the value Of too thou
sand 6ue hundred dollars Men were incred
ulous when ! told them this, until | shove
them the items and names. These were lai
before full meeting eff the Housatonic Agri
cultural Society, and vote passed, unani
( mously, requesting our Legislature to pass
law similar to the one now in force Ate
this the Massachusetts, State Society took III
matter in hand, and, in consequence, the frs
{ enactment was modified, and made more eff
cient. The result has been very satsfactor,
{ the law works well.
According to ascertained facts, the farmer
of Berkshire County suffered loss Of on
thousand dollars annually by the ravages
dogs among their sheep. Still the evil ha
! existed so long, that many thought there WI
no remedy, and some who had sheep kille,
even in the sheds, only few days before m
requesting the particulars, neglected to al
swer my letters. Farmers in the Legislatul
were afraid to take hold Of il at first, fro
fear of unpopularity, and only when inAuen,
/, ed by a strong public opinion and numerot
= petitions, did they move.
b All have to say to my brother farmers,
T. go to work by circulating petitions to yo'
k Legislatures and, if need be, gather up fact
4 to show the reasonableuess of the demand &
0 protection, and refer to the euactments of Coz
y necticut and Massachusetts as good prec
{ dents 1t may cost little time and troub
but it will pay well if you wish to raise shoe
4 Then good fiook, with good care, will vie
!, good profit. f. WHITISG.
$ Berkshire Co., Mass, Jan, 1860.