The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1893-07-11
dogs, TAGS AND PIRATES
One Seventeenth as Many
CANNES as People in
Jersey City.
BENEFICIAL RESULT OF TIE TAX.
What Becomes of the Pets That Are
Not Tagsed--The Dead Animal
Man Determines Their
Fate.
BENEFICIAL RESULT OF TIE TAX.

~ oSAoSI ivy pCOPAO w AhO"
that the dog population OF this city is at
present more than one seventeenth az
large as the human, and that the can
MES are increasing more rapidly thar
the people are. A rough estimate
furnished by Health Inspector Benjamin
as to the number Of dogs, of the various
Kinds in Jersey City, is 1900, but q
liberal allowance is 10000. These estim-
ates are based. entirely upon searches
made by the sanitary squad during the
past month for dogs that are not tagged.
Ever since a tax of 81 was imposed,
dog owners have kept Health Inspector
Benz amin busy, and too frequently he
has been hauled over the Goals for what
Is claimed to be an imposition. Many
owners, although fond of their dogs,
object st%renuously to a premium uDon
their lives. Again, owEers are in a con-
slant state Of worriment over the exist
euce of dog pirates, who collect twenty
five cents for every dog delivered to the
health authorities, which has not been
properly tagged.
BENEFICIAL RESULT OF THE TAX.
The imposition of he 81 tax. however.
is having a beneficial effect. No only
are the dogs being tagged, but they are
also being properly muzzled. A very
erroneous impression has gone abroad
that the tagging" OF a dog does away
with furnishing him with a muzzle.
Persons owning valuable dogs or pets
want to be on the look out for this. The
tag insures the dogs life from harm. as
far as health and police officials are con-
cerned, but should a proclamation issue
from the Mayors Office, making it neces-
sary to muZZle them, woe be to the can
nine tagged or not tagged that ventures
on the highway without his muzzle.
SAD FATE OF TAGLESs Dogs.
I have salu that there are 10, 900 or
more dogs In the city. Up to eleven
o'clock Saturday morning 2,S27 had been
tagged. but new applicants appear for
tags hourly. Many owners have COM
planned of lost dogs already, but lost
dogs now are apt to meet with a sad
fate. They may be captured by the
dead animal man" or shot by a police
man, drowned or turned over by dog
pirates to tie dead animal man."
On Saturday three were shot by police
men, and It is probable that IL the whole
sale slaughter of cantnes continues as it
has during the past week that a few law
suits will be the result. Anyone know
ing the dead animal man" would hardly
put HIM down as a person capable of dis
eliminating as to the value of a dog.
They are all the same to him.
He follows nc particular method in
destroying their lives. They are either
drowned or shot, but not suffocated by
gas as has been suggested. Bob
ElIiott's gas has a premium on it, and the
Street and Water commissioners are just
at present experiencing enough difficulty
in getting money to procure gas to keep
Greenville and other paris of the city
illuminated at night, without APPLYING it
to the destruction of dogs.
WHAT BECOMES OF FL DOG KILLED.
The bodies of the plain dogs are re-
moved to the rendering factory on the
Hackensack, and "bow vows" valueless
and Invaluable meet with q like fate.
Just how many dogs have been des-
troyed in one way or another it is impos-
sible to find out. but 1t touches the one
hundred mark easily. Ii a valuable dog
falls into the hands of the officials, it Is
well cared for and advertised. Health
Inspector Benjamin Is exercising a COM
mendable prudence in this respect. No
injustice will be o IL he can prevent
it.. Tit tagging business gives the
Health Department a new revenue, and
the disposition of the $2,S27 collected al
ready has caused some speculation. This
is what Inspector Benjamin says will be-
come of it.
IF the dog tax Is not expend ed in pre-
renting the invasion of cholera or the
| suppression of other contagious disease 8.
~ WILL 81 ihpO oh0 ehACdb S.AhlA y
| fund, and will be spent only in cases of
| absolute necessity"
The tagging of dogs has opened up a
way to the commission of petty thefts,
Dog pirates have begun to steal valuable
dogs, and are either holding them for re-
wards, or have sold them TO fanciers.
Chef of Police Murphy Is at present look
ing for a dog valued at 5000, which was
| stolen. The thief, however, is suspected,
| and mis- home is being watched.
RESPECTABLE DOG PIRATES.
1t must not be imagined that young
| toughs are the only ones who are partici-
| pating in this contemplate business.
because in the instance cited the man is
| prominent in social circles, and boasts of
4 favorable reputation. Before another
| month shall AVE elapsed Inspector Ben.
| jamin hopes TO have at least half of the
| canine population tagged. The other
half will be dealt with harshly IL proper
| care is not :aken Of them. The Inspector
| will insist upon compliance with the law
on the subject.
The tags have occasioned consid-
able amusement. because OF their pattern.
1t is crescent shaped and numbered.
There are lots of societies and one or two
clubs having crescents for emblems. The
capture of untagged dogs has proven
highly interesting and amusing. Que
good thing is being accomplished and
that is that the police are learning to
.hoof uyn1I