The Grenada gazette. (Grenada, Miss.) 1885-18??, 1889-08-23
DlShORNlNG OF CATTLE,
An English Decision which Drclares II
Cruel and Indrfensfble.

an English Decision which Dpcares II
Cruel and Indsfensibls.
We report this morning the impor-
tant judgment delivered by Lord Chief
Justice Coleridge and Mr. Justice Haw-
kins on the legality Of dishorning
cattle. The case came before them by
way OF appeal from decision of the
Norfolk magistrates at the Blofield
Petty Sessions. Mr. Wiley, Norfolk
larmer had been summoned at the in
stance of the Society for the Preven-
tion of Cruelty to Animals for having
unlawfully and cruelty tortured thirty
two bullocks by dishorning them.
The facts were in no dispute Mr.
Wiley admitted that he had done what
was alleged, and gave every facility to
the officers of the society for ascer-
| tanning how il had boon done, and in
what state the animals operated upon
had been left. That the operation, as
performed on Mr.. Wiley's farm. had
been attended with intense and pro-
longed suffering to the animals was
clearly proved and does not seem to
have been denied. The defense
set up was that 1t was neces-
sary for variety OF reasons. 1t
added to the value OF the animals;
it enabled them to be packed more
closely than they could have been if
they had retained their horns, and it
prevented them from inficting injury
on one another, whether closely packed
or not. The magistrates in the event
dismissed the case, but without costs,
since they considered that the society
had done great good by instituting it,
and at the request of the society they
stated case for the opinion of the
Queens Bench Judges, giving the rea-
sons of their decision and asking
whether the decision was to stand.
The question has been met with a
decided negative by the judges to
whom it had been referred. The op-
GRAFTON OF dishorning, rs it is ordinarily
practiced and as it was practiced on
Mr.. Wiley's farm. has been pronounced
cruel and indefensible. ''Detestably
brutal!' is Lord COleridge's language
in describing it. Mr.. Justice Hawkins
terms it a revolving operation, so tor
turing that he shudders to think that
men can be found to perform it. As
to its absolute illegality both judges
are in agreement. That it adds some
what to the selling value OF the ami
mails they hold to be no adequate de-
Tense for it, rather since the re-
suits aimed at can be attained equally
well without it. The cruelty OF the
operation. amounting to downright
torture. was proved by profession
al evidence, and was substantial
ly admitted by the defense. The
main benefits of it could be obtained
by more simple and painless process,
except indeed, as far as it enabled
the seller to put fraud on the incau-
tiOus purchaser as to the animals
breed or age. AS to its alleged neces-
sity, the court was clear that prac.
tice which had for many years been
unknown or wholly discontinued in
England and Wales. and in most coun-
ties OF Scotland, and had only recent
ly been introduced from ireland,
could not be thought neccssary.-
In pasn tharp ,,,DSt ba cn,oo ,,,o
portion between the object aimed at
and the means. In the case before the
court no such proportion could be
'ound. The animals had been hide
ously tortured" in order to put few
pounds more into the owners pockets
and this, Lord Coleridge said, is an in.
stance of such utter disproportion be
tween the thing done and the result as
to stamp it as barbarous and unlawful.
The end sought, Mr.. Justice Hawkins
added, may not be attained at the sac
rifice at which it must be had. For 3
man to buy horned cattle and to EN-.
hance their value by mutilating them
at the expense of excruciating torture
to the animals must be set down a.
needless cruelty. Some former cases,
which have been decided in an oppo-
site sense, were put forward by the
defense, but were set aside by the
court with full expression of the re-
spect due to the authorities before
whom they had been heard. London
Times.