National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1875-05-19
THE DOG cATCHERs.
A ISok at the Pound-Troublss Of the CANNES
-padaa-ad ~ R{I1ad

A LSok at the Pound-Troublss Of the CANNES
Redeemed or Killed.
The dog season opened actively last Monday.
Thirty-six dogs were brought into pound that
morning, and about two doyeu more were cap
tured yesterday. The work is done early in the
morning, chiefly to avoid the Inconvenience Of
crowd Of offcious and Eeelous followers, each Of
whom thinks that he knows more about nabbing
q dog than any two men in the business. The
pound-keeper and his four assistants start out
long before daylight with their wagon. Dogs
that happen to be wandering about at that time
without their tnuEIles stand q very slim chance
picking up dog here and another there, until 1t
can hold no more, or the boys commence TO get
the morning, and 1t requires only . short time to
pick up q load. The dog that went 10 sleep In the
barrel IN the back yard, after
HowLIRe HIMSELF HoARsE,
and scratching half the night at the back door to
wagon and the voices Of the men, stretches and
shakes himself and craWls through the hole
under the fence and tTots aoSn Ine aiey; IA,
ure. One Of the men comes shuthing along, and,
when he finds that the poor animal has no muzzle,
ing out his hand, calls softly, Doggy, doggy;
come yer, doggy" The dog Is inclined TO be
6sshi1i At [s and sSay ~ Ss6ss %Sr dnS
his tail against time, and gives little short snorts
to show that he is tickled almost TO death. After
bound 1iT and looks into the mans face. he don't
find the game CHEEKY smile after he has once
come within reach. Smiles are precious, and the
dog-catcher can't waste any on dog after he is
once captured. The animal is hurried into a net
and into the wagon, and then, when he is forced
he begins to realize that man "can smile and be
o villain STILL" The load is hurried to the pound.
They are kept there for twenty.fOuE hours Those
of the uniortunates that are not redeemed during
that time by the payment Of dollar are
SHOT,
Their carcasses are handed over to the man
who removes dead animals, converted into tertt-
LIKING stuff and eventually reapPear in the shape
There is a small, unpretending Enclosure just
outside of the southeastern angle OF the Obserya-
tory grounds, containing an ONCE, stall for
horses and o shed or two. This is the pound.
The poundmaster, Mr.. Einsteln, Will welcome
YOU thinking that you have come TO reclaim some
ed pen. You peep beneath the Stats and pitt
Jul scene Of canine misery meets your eyes. The
may mournfully raise his sleepy eyelids as your
form darkens the pen, and the eye of another may
light up with The hope that you nave S come 70
rebellious when first caught, but their spirit is
broken by the time they reach the pen. They are
sll huddled up in the back end Of their little
space. There is large black dog with white
breast and feet, that has evidently formed an at
tachment for
LITTLE BROWN DOG
that nestles close to its side. There are yell
coats whose heads seem to be all Whiskers and
eyebrows. There are reddtsh-colored dogs with
very black noses and very white teeth. There is
q sleek black and tan, with q collar around its
neck, which has undoubtedly seen better days
and which sits on its launches apart from the
others and tries TO appear as If he didn't belong
to the crowd. There are other dogs NANCY and
dirty, which have always been used to hard times 4
and which philosophically stretch themselves out
10 enjoy their short lease of life, occasionally
scratching their ears or swapping at trouble
some fly. Outside, tied to posts. are tine New;
foundland and a hunter, which we're considered
too fine to be thrown in among the rabble. On
seat by the large double gate, you notice, as you
pass out three or four eoIored men who recall with
manifest enjoyment the adventures Of the morn.
ing, and who will tell you many funny tale Of
dog life.
These men are not the only enemies that dogs
have. There are men who are always ready dur
ing the summer months to shoot dog If they see
him lolIing his tongue out or dropping his tail.
The poor animal is left in the street, prize for
the big blue feas, till the dead animal man re-
moves him, or he is thrown into the river, and IN
few days floats down the stream on his pilgrimage
to the sea, bloated and dishgured fat on his back,
nosiDg his way through the Whitecapped waves
and sticking his legs straight up toward heaven
as If mutely appealing for justice.