Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1889-02-15
T Communicated. ]
Too Dogged Many Dogs.

Communicated.
Too Dogged Many Dogs.
One half of the dogs of this county
could be spared and yet there would re-
main sufficient supply. We have plenty
of dogs that arc Of no good to any one,
and nuisance and pest to the communi-
ty, and mere expense to their owners
than they are worth. Many family
could feed hog on what they feed their
dogs 1t seems that a dog is an indispen-
sable piece of household and rogueish fur
niture no one can scarcely keep house
without the hairy dog, and in many fam
lies the dog il liked abont as much, and
held in about as much esteem as the rest
of the family. In fact 1t seems, some
times. that one of the family could be
spared better than the dog. The dog is
inevitable with the dogs friend, and TO
sneak well of one means 70 do both a
favor: but on the other hand with some
people to speak of their dog disparaglng-
", or to look at his dog with a frown'
would he TO incur and invoke the dis
pleasure of the owner. The owner of a
dog often thinks as much and sometimes
more Of his dog than he does yon or me-
and some men will go a mile to Insult a
fallow-man 10 establish their dogs Dig
nifty. Others again will 90 so far "a to
fight for their worthless curs, thereby
rather risking to have the mans displeas-
IRE than the dogs honor unsustained. 1t
ought not to be so, but 1t is often so, that
10 insult a mans dog is to Insult the man
himself With many, fguratively speak
ING and Darwinly saying, the dog IS nan
brother to the owner, and with others full
brother, father and son-he eats from the
same table, and eats the same kind Of
food he sleeps in the same house and ac-
companies him wherever be goes. Bnt
then man is frail and is apt TO err and
degenerate. and if caution is not gwen IN
time some men may become more dog than
man. Nevertheless let that be as 1t may,
INT not 10 insiuuate, vet it is fact. that
a man usually u known by the company
he keeps. and it Is known fact that Ike
berets like. and that the kind OF matter
man has m his head will induce him to
associate with like kind.
But to return to tho subject proper. In
the last six weeks these dirty, NANCY ours
have been playing havoc with the sheep
in these parts. Mr.. jeremiah Wakeman
had six sheep killed and four or five
wounded John W Hickman Lad five
badly wounded Geo. A. Copp had SIX
wounded J. NJ. Ramey and J. y. Tea
walt had their flock almost completely
annihilatcd, only two remaining r. T.
sibcrt had several killed and wounded,
and Jno. Z. Copp had ten killed and
wounded, all within radius OF about
/. miles. II this is TO be continued al
the same rate the remainder Of the year
there won't be dog tax funds enough IA
nav twenty-five cents per sheep killed OF
wounded. Notwithstanding all these
sheen that have been killed here, IT seems
that nobody's dog kills sheep, or at least
they can't be found.
We need new dog law, and if the Leg
stature this fall does not do something
for the relief Of sheep killed, the farmers
of this county should assemble IN mass
meeting and make law for this county
for Themselves protecting the sheep OF
this county. Many claim that farmers gel
nav when sheep are killed, but who would
turn a lot Of dogs loose in their iiocks ano
have them killed and torn for the amount
OF damages usually assessed. Sometimes
the dog tax fund. too, does not pay ou'
tbe full assessment on sheep killed. thei
the farmer has to be the looser, and The
sheep. dog still lives to satisfy bis appetite
on the same flock again for another year
This can all be rcmedied by having Law
70 punish BY fine or prison, or both, any
person who has dog that is suspected o
killing sheep running at large, or hav'
dogs taxed higher if the fund does not pal
the amount assessed on sheep killed.
number Of dogs are suspected Of killing
sheep. but to be certain Of whose dog, o
dogs really does the bloody work, mar
Will have to sit up all night for weeksan'
watch for his flock. believe If had
dog and suspicioued him of smelling to-
closely TO sheep, and with somewha
suspicious eye. could certainly kill him
| might as well turn my hogs, cattle AM
horses in the commons loose and let then
run IN an unfenctd garden, corn, or whea
field. and let them repeat the act TIM
after time and at their will, as to let
worthless cur loose and Kill my negh'oT
Nock. II a deg las an owner he Is tina
mans property. and # he runs loose an
is suspected Of doing damage to some one
property. the owner sLonld be held re-
spons.ble for the damages, or have tn
dog killed forthwith, or have the 90
housed up eteInally. Nobody 5 stock IA
a right to destroy anothers property Win
ont damages sustained the mans propert
destroyed and if the dog be man
property. why not make a suspicious DO
responsible for damages done or the dog
. owner or both
FARMER.
l.