Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-08-04
ISIT UPOR ISIT DOWN
In Six Months the Last Dog Unhung
Will be Personal Property.
MUCH CRY, BUT LITTLE WOOL,
As All Previous Dog Deterring or Regulat-
ing Laws Remain.
SENATOR DRAVO'S DOG-ONNED RATI0NS


latest new dog law, and it passed both
branches of the Legislature. 1t is safe to
say that there is more dogology on the stat
ute books of Pennsylvania and sister States
than legal lore on all other dumb animal
subjects Though both Moses and Mohammed
Disseminated against the dog, and only
tolerated him as a scavenger, he has held
his own, and is better acquainted with the
world at large than the world is with its
own statutes and ordinances. Some say the
Indian is descended from some of the lost
tribes to whom Moses gave law; but, though
the dog had no status worth speaking of
under his law, yet the average Indian prizes
his dog above his squaw, and expects the
faithful animal to bear him company in the
happy hunting ground of the great to come
The dog, though the friend of man, is on
the whole very injudicious friend. When
sowing his wild oats in the days of exuber-
ant puppyhood, he usually destroys in value
his weight in silver, if not in gold, and his
indigenous appetite for mutton makes him
the terror of farmers. Occasionally he sucks
eggs, and his misdirected zeal, in behalf of
his owners interest, has caused many suit
in court Oh charges of keeping ferocious
dog or frightening horses.
HIS STATUS NOW FIXED.
Special laws for the management of the
dog dot the statute books as thickly as stars
in the armament, and Senator Dravo has
added general one which, Judge Fetter-
man says, is almost entirely nugatory, save
in the feature of making the dog personal
property. This reduces him to the old-time
status of en- African in the Southern States.
II is said that Red Jackets classification
ran thus: "The white man first, the Indian
next, the dog next and the niger next and
last" In Pennsylvania this is now
all changed; Mr.. bravo makes the dog per-
sonal property, and the African isn't, and
hasn't been since 1866.
But notwithstanding the prejudice in
favor of the dog, he, or rather his, master
labors under some disability. For instance.
it is now provided by Pennsylvania law
that the owner OF a supposed mad dog may
be cited before q Justice of the Peace who
may direct that the dog be killed. Dogs
that worry sheep may be killed. Owners
are responsible for all damages caused by
dogs. Registered dogs have been regarded
as personal property. Dogs seen in an in
and in consequence the life of an illiterate
dog has not always been a happy one.
In some instances special laws applying
to certain counties provide that damages
collected from owners by law-breaking dogs
shall be applied to the purchase of meriDo
sheep, whose offspring shall be divided
among the injured owners. In fact, as
Judge Fetterman observes, there are as
many special dog laws as there are patents
on churns.
TWILL BE UNHEALTHY.
Senator Dravo's bill provides among
other things that the owners of dogs shall
pay a tax of 80 cents annually and of
bitches 81. The tax is to be assessed the
same as that for the school fund and as
sessed by the township assessors the same as
on other property. The County Commits
sioners are directed to return to the school
directors of the various districts the number
of dogs in each district and the tax is to be
paid to them. If the owner of a criminal |
dog can be made to pay for his pets torts in
the way of sheep killing, all right; if not,
such losses are to be divided pro rata, if the |
tax fund be insufficient. In adjudicating |
claims the Justice of the Peace and town |
ship auditors are allowed fee of 30 cents |
in each case, and, if there be a sur
plus of 500, it is to be covered into the |
school fund. The mode of moving for re-
lief is that when person sustains loss by a |
sheep-killing dog or dogs he can make an |
information before justice of the peace in |
the township or borough where such loss is |
sustained, and if the dog owner do not ap-
pear. the County Assessor, after being as
sured of the loss, may proceed to carry out |
sentence, and If the owner be responsible |
the damage is to be collected in |
full from him; if not, the fund |
will be drawn upon. The township and |
borough Boards of Assessors are required to
take a dog census at the beginning of the |
year 1890; but, as the act does not repeal |
any of the special acts, the legal opinion is
given that all the verbiage and machinery |
of the last act will have no other effect than
to make all dogs in the townships and bor-
oughs of this Commonwealth personal prop
erty, and subject the man who steals one to
prosecution for larceny.
GRAPEVINE FOOD WILL BE PLENTY.
1t is said there are $1,000 dogs in this
county; but ere the assessors get to work it
is estimated that there will be great NOR
tality among them (the dogs). A man NAV
fight for his poodle, and yet be averse to
paying tax for him. 1t seems Just the least
bit strange that the 30-ounce poodle and the |
150-pound Newfoundland should be taxed /
the same, if the object be the prevention of |
sheep killing; but it is more than an even
chance that the tax will generally be paid
on the poodle more readily than ON his
larger relative.
The Fallmaster does not set any great
store on dead dogs, so they will not likely 90
to the schindery to any considerable extent;
but it is said that the body of dog put
under grape vine is productive of great
results, SO that viticulture is likely to re-
ceive an immense impetus nextyear ''Tray,
and Sweetheart, little dogs and ALL"
NAV find Ii necessary to call q convocation |