The Portland daily press., 1886-04-08
S. p. c. OF A.
The Annual Reports and other Pro-
ceedings.

The annual meeting of the Society for the
| Prevention of Cruelty to Animals was held
at the Fraternity rooms yesterday afternoon
the president, Hon. Charles Mclaughlin in
the chair The report of the agent, Mr.. A.
| NJ. Sawyer, was presented and adopted. II
reads as follows:
In presenting the nineteenth annual report
the agent of your society takes pleasure in
acknowledging the general improvement in the
treatment of animals in our city and surround
| ing country. The watchfulness of the people
| together with the interest manifested by mem
bers as to the treatment of animals exercises a
restraining influence. At no period since the
| incorporation of the society has there been
80 universal an acknowledgement on the part of
our citizens of its Importance and usefulness
The active work performed, and the number OF
arrests and convictions as well as the large
number of warnings, and cautions extended,
amply illustrate the necessity for its mainte-
nance. and an increase of its resources, to en-
able it to enlarge its sphere of usefulness.
The cruel practice of docking and nieking
which consists in cutting off portion of the
tail of the horse and severing the muscles, and
by the use of cords and pulleys retaining it in
an upright position until the animal loses all
control of the same has been introduced into
our city. How an enlightened people can
tolerate such barbarity or accept such a
Fashion is beyond my comprehension. II
first presented itself in changing" or cropping
the hair off che tail and is now followed by
this form of cruelty. The practice is brutal
Not only is this practice cruel but lastingly
injurious to the horse and is so denounced by
the highest veterinary authority.
The supply of stock for export by ocean
steamers is drawn from the Western States.
The cattle must necessarily be transported
from places very remote. The amount OF SUI
fering inflicted while in transit owing to the
vast number that are annually carried ex-
ceeds in magnitude all other cases of cruelty.
The law of the State reads as follows: "Dur-
ing December, January, February and March
cars used for the transportation Of animals
shall be sufficiently boarded on the sides and
ends to afford proper protection to such ami
mails in case of storms or severely cold
weather. No railroad running into Portland
has complied with this section of the law.
The statute states very plainly when ami
mails need rest and how they shall be fed,
watered and rested. The law does not compel
the railroad to maintain cattle yards and how
can or anv other officer or director of this
society unload wild cattle without yard to
tnru them intos I think that this matter
should be brought to the attention of the diff
ferent railroads as regards cars used for trans
portation and suitable yards for yarding ami
mails, by our attorney, and not by the agent OF
the society; also on the subject of cars for cat
tie that our attorney should confer with the
officers of the American Human association.
would recommend that the coming year
the directors appoint veterinary surgeon to
be known as the veterinary OF our society
with whom the agent can consult on all cases
of sick, diseased and disabled old horses or
other animals.
We want to reform the method Of slaughter
ing animals for food for the benefit OF the
animals themselves before they are slaughtered
and the people who consume them for food
thereafter, especially swine. Our society is SO
well known that whenever an act of cruelty is
witnessed no matter by whom, report OF 1t
will generally be made either by telephone or
by letter TO me. Every man who feels dis
posed to abuse an animal must understand that
the community does not approve OF IT, and
that any wanton or unnecessary display OF
brutality will cause his arrest and punishment.
would ask that our society through its
president or secretary request the city marshal
not to issue licenses to any person or persons
until the number assigned them is placed upon
hackney carriages and carts and drays and
that in the case of all persons found driving
any public hackney carriages cart or dray
without number the ordinance regulating
numbering and licensing of carriages and
teams be enforced.
The work of the society for the year ending
Apr;l-1 1QQR 10 fOllows.