The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1891-03-18
TIMELY CESSATION OF THE CANINE
CLUTCHER.

Monday evening the city council came to
the relief of a domestlcated pubic by
suspending the payment OF dog-tax until
May l, and the sanguinary wlles and lncil-
nations of the unfeeling dog catcher were
peremptorily put a stop to- The dog
catcher has, the past few weeks, been the
object of verbal vengeance OF the older
people of the city and an odious bugbear
to the small children.
The dog-catcher is a colored lodlvlduai
who has little heart or appreciation of the
public weaknesses for pet dogs, and he had
inaugurated a vigorous campaign against
the whole canine family, big and little,
and this surcease of hostllItles Will Do
everywhere hailed with JOY, with the prob
able exception of few people who con-
slider every dog the sure presence of hydro
phobia. The man who adopts dog catch
ing as trade has to be person or some
courage if not intrepidity. He has to ap-
preach all kinds of dogs OF all degrees
of ferocity. His method Is to sip
up on some sleeping canine, slip a moose
around his neck and drag him hence into
cage on spring wagon. he is thence
transported to pound ON the West Side,
where he languishes with other CANNES OF
divers shades and sizes in durance vie,
yelping, barking, snarling. bowling, starv-
| ing-all in vain. Here the Jacks" ana
"Jims." the ''Pontos'' and ''Unos," and
s'Trixies" and ''Fidos" of the dog world
are bundled together, waiting for ransom
| from their masters. If this does not come
in ten DAYS, the small yelper and the big
bayer is marched out to execution anu
shot down by the ruthless hand OF some
heartless and well-ccmmissioned officer.
1t only takes so cents to ransom the dog,
and there is no one scarcely but who Is
willing to pay that miserable pittance for
the life of dog they have learned to adj
miro and respect. But it is not always
that every proud possessor can keep &C
count of his pup, and while ne THINKS ne
NAV only be out on picnicking tour OF
the town. the poor dog may oe
the victim Of the greed OF
tax-ridden municipality. The Dog
catcher, what is more, directs more dls-
like to himself by an abuse of his preroga-
tive. Not content with scooplnS up the
strange homeless ours that nobody owns
or loves. he will hang around private resi-
dences and trespass private premises Il
secure some faithful old servant that /:
the chiidren's pet, and that wouldn't Bit
anvbodv but tramp. This seems to b'
the dog-catcher's chief delight. If he can
snatch up some dog that is lone of thu
family he has reached his very acme o
iov. 1t is quite natural. The dog-catchel
gets twenty-five cents for every dog ran
soned. Nobody ever ransoms the poo
worthless ours. but when he can get hne
fat specimen that is a playmate IN romE
with the children, he snatches him up IN 1
hurry. for he is sure that he will be res
cued at any price. Still this does no
license the g-catcher TO invade private
premises under protest.
The love man bears TO faithful dog ma
long been subject Of comment and wit
Il owe me, love my dog" an old phras
runs. No matter how poor people may b
they will always be rich enough 10 Keep
, DOG and il is often the case, the poore
: the family the more dogs People VII
risk life, friendship and fortune Tor thes
) dogs. and to modest their beasts IS /
modest them. People have sent IN grle'
ancss that they were poor and could no
! spare the sum OF the dog tax ana u
3 council has done wise thing by suspend
e ing the tax and shutting OH the oos
3 catcher at this time. The peace OF IL
. community must be preserved, threatene
s as it already is by the gathering tempei
: of q msyoraity tumble.