The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1892-07-24
CITY DOG KILLERS OF OLD DAYS
They dubbed Dogs to Death In the Streets
-Methods Now but Lutte Halter.

CITY DOG KILLERS OF OLD DAYS
They Ciubbed Dogs to Death In the Streets
Methods Now but Little Better.
or the 33503 dogs In this city, according to
the last canine census. only 1887 are licensed.
This leaves a wide field OF operation to the
professional dog catchers. OF whom there ara
about a dozen: three OF them are appointed
by the Mayor. and these employ their own as
sistants. That they are assiduous In their
labors Is shown by the fact that moro than
1000 dogs meet their death from asphyxation
In the public pound every year.
The way In which these dog catchers operate
is we'll known; but the streets were kept partly
clear of stray ours In different manner before
the war. Old-tmers remember the days when
dogs were not caught, but were killed In the
streets for the bounty paid by the city for their
ears. Some time In the '4Os an ordinance
was passed which provided for the kill
ing OF all dogs found running loose
In warm weather. and men and boys
went about tho streets looking for dogs
to kill 1t did not matter whether the animal
was a pot or only stray cur: II tho dog kill
ers could reach him he was knocked on the
head. There was no pound In those days. be-
cause no dogs were taken alive. But all the
killed were taken to the dead-dog house.
which stood whore Paradise Park now is in
| tho Five Points. A police officer was stationed
thero.whose duty it was to receive all tho dogs
| which were killed and give to the persons
| bringing them n check for the number deliv-
cred. These men took tho checks together
! with the ears Of tho dogs. to the Mayors Mar
| shall who paid fifty cents per pair OF ears.
| Some mon. besides. were hired BY the city and
| were paid So per day.
The present feeling toward tho mon who
catch dogs is not one Of love by any means.
| even though their services are necessary to the
| public safety but the feeling was ten times
| worse in those days toward the men who would
| walk to an unsuspecting dog and. with a
| heavy club. knock his brains out on the public
streets. forths was done every day. At first the
oube anS WERE IN sSch
| by their neishbors that they soon gave it up.
a a11 their places , were taken by darkies. The
officer detailed for this special purpose.
nany Of the oflcer. depending on the right
they had q calling on any policeman for pro,
dog killer ventnred near u market there was
nearly always light and foot race. 1t was
market butchers to get up u sham hght
among themselves when q protected, dog
to a.re e deky att
S mys hs GhsT os Dut wSsss s H
vengeance against ali dog ii ers He was the
tTsst ii man tnH arkt cS Snd oUs .a
tf h " tie HiI ksr S Just ,1f the dog dog
W. a tx to tsnsY' Ge @ Ia a
not wait to take of his anron but started ont
ran DOG
2 block away: Without waiting to introduce
e%sGS he ssfS se Shs? %h f!TS 81
darkies escaped. but on. OF them was Knocked
butcher ~ ThOmnSnn'a
| friends had not run up and forged him to stop
Indeed, It would have been hard to convict
In cases Of assault the prits were generally
mcr Of $50 dog Killer was Killed by an angry
man. the only case OF tho kind that occurred.
on tie corner Of Grand street and the Bowery:
talking to friend His fine DaImatian hound
r M w hesr
the y sd ss bo ssw that
ing his. body into tho cart. He rushed
The street and fTore at the man
head struck the curb. and lie was killed. 4
mers pleaded self-defence. and the, Jury
br2ught in ysrdiet Of jnstjlIable homisids
mails remembers the dog killers.
| "Thc method of capturing the beasts now"
| he says. lis not much better than it was then.
| The dog catchers have no regard for the COM
fort OF the poor animals alter they are cap
tured, Any sort of vehicle is thought good
enough to, thrust them into, and they are
packed and crowded into small wagons with
ont water. big dogs and little dogs OF both
| sexes all together. and carted off in the hot
| sun The law requires each wagon to have a
pail OF water for tho dogs: our officers find
many wagons without even pail. not to speak
| Of n uretencc OF water.
What, should be provided Is a wagon
dogs could be separated from the little ones
| and the males from the females. And not more
| than twelve dogs should be placed in any
| wagon at ono time. Az the matter Is conducted
now 1t Is n disgrace. The business should be
| under the control OF this society. The Ohio
| Humane Society has control Of the dog catch
ing In Cincinnati. tho Prevention Of Cruelty
cities ara considering the matt CIR of such su.
p.rvlsion, Eventually. ] suppose. the business
! will be placed in our hands. but in the mean
time the poor dogs must suffer-"
| Dog catchers are paid ~ cents for ovory dog
they capture and bring tn the pound at the
| foot NJ East lO2d street. Here the beasts are
kept forty -oiCht hours to give their owners, II
| expiration NJ TINT period they are still unro-
| deemed they nre placed In an alright cham
Dor and a-phyXilted with illum mating gas.
less than five minutes. Tho bodies are taken
| to Barren lsland, whore tho honas are cleaned
| and sold to he manufactured into buttons and
other useful things. Gloves are mado OF tho
| best skins.
| nF