The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1874-12-09
lFor the Dispatcb.I ytt
i. A Good DOS.LaW.

II
The following article is taken from the
american Agrtculturist, and was prepared
| by citizen Of Connecticut. In many States
1.-THE dog-tax Is devoted exclusively to The
support of schools. One hundred thousand
dollars year might easily be raised in Vir.
ginia for that purpose by tax of one dollar
on each dog:
Doa-LAw OF CONNECTICUT.
The following statute was passed by the
Legislature of Connecticut in 1867, and is
still in force: ,.' .,sug
Section /. 1t shall be the duty Of the as.
SCISSORS of the several towns RI. e., townships]
of this State to cause all dogs three months
old and upwards which have not been
registered according to law previous to the
first meeting of the Board of Assessors to
be entered upon the assessment.list OF per-
sons owning such doga, and such dogs shall
be presumed to be owned by the keeper or
occupier of the premises where such dogs
are kept.
Section 2. The owner or owners Of all
dogs not registered as aforesaid shall pay an
annual tax into the treasury of the town
township where such dogs are kept, to be
levied and collected with and in the same
manner as the ordinary town taxes, of three
dollars for every male dog and six dollars
for every female dog.
Another act, passed at the same session of
the Legislature, provides that any excess of
money in the dog-fund may be used for Or
binary town expenses after all damages done
to sheep in previous years are paid for.
In the general statutes of this State, in
section l13, it is provided that any two JUS
tees of the peace may make such rules and
regulations against dogs as they think the
safety of 'persons and property demand.
Section la provides that the inhabitants
of the several towns, in legal meeting assem-
bled, may make necessary regulations and
offer bounty for the killing OF dogs.
Section 115 requires the owner of dog
over three months old to register and number
such dog in the town clerks Office on or be-
fore September 1st in each year, and to pay
fifteen cents for registering. '.f
Section 116 provides that he shall pay into
the treasury two dollars for every male dog.
five dollars for every female dog so register.
ed, and that be shall put collar upon his
registered dog with his name upon it, and
the No. of the dog and any person killing
said dog shall be liable for bis value; but
any one may kill dog found worrying
sheep, whether registered or not. 4
Section lit provides that the town clerk
shall pay all moneys received for the privi-
lege of keeping dogs into the treasury.
Section 1lS. The selectmen are to post no.
tees in every school district that dog-owners
must either kill their dogs or cause them to
be registered.
Section 119 inficts $50 fine upon the Sc
lectmen who refuse'to post such notices.
Section 120 fines whoever puts false re-
gister upon bis dogs collar s..
Section 121 makes it the duty of the first
constable to prosecute all violations of the
dog.law.
Section 1872. Those who suffer damage
in their fucks by death or manning from
dogs are to give information of the fact TO
one of the selectmen Of the town, who is
to estimate the damage and pay it from the
dog.fund, unless the owner OF the dog can
be made TO pay. ~
These laws, of which we have given the
outline, work we'll in Connecticut, and en-
courage sbeep-raising. They keep the dogs
In check, and make it easy for sbeep-oWners
to recover damage done to f0cks where any
Is suffered. It is our impression that dog
laws have passed in most of the older north
ern States, and that they are most stringent
10 New York and New Enlgand, where wool
and mutton are most valuable. 49,
1t is exceedingly desirable that We should
have similar legislation in all the States, and
that sheep-husbandry should be made so
safe and profitable that We have no occasion
to import wool. The census of 1870 report
ed 2S,0OO,0O0 pounds of-wool in the coun.
try, and 10O,0OO,000 pounds Of wool as the
annual product. And yet we import large
quantities of wool aud Woollen goods that
We ought to produce on our own farms and
in our own factories. We are glad to be.
lieve that We are increasing our consump-
ton of lamb and mutton. Give us stringent
dog.laws in all the States, and We might
make these the cheapest of all the meats in
the market.