Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1893-03-29
Abuse of Dumb Animals.

To the Editor of The Evening star:
There is no more important or necessary
organization in this city than The Society for
the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals" and ii
should be encouraged and assisted in its good
work as far as possible by every person
cognizant of the abuse of dumb animals
which have no means OF redress relief from
i'll treatment, only as their owners and drivers
are held accountable for the brutal manner in
W Inch they treat them.
In view of its weIl-paved streets and few
heavy grades Washington city ought to be a
comparative heaven" for beasts of burden
but. on the contrary. owners of draft horses
and mules seem to think that there is no limit
to the amount which two or three of these ami
mails can haul to any part of the city. A load
OF brick. stone or lumber seems to be deter
mined by the weight which the team can move
on a hard. level surface. no allowance whatever
being made for up grades or long stretches of
gravel or mud roads 10 be passed over before
reaching the point of destination. As rule
draft horses and mules in this city are required
to haul at least 80 per cent more at a load
than should be allowed.
In addition 10 overlooking is the brutal Jehu
driving which is witnessed every day. requiring
teams TO trot on down grade. even on a
level. with a heavy load with no provision-or at
least none in use-for checking the speed of
the vehicle as 1t presses forward with its entire
weight bearing upon the necks of the animals
Already raw from this abuse. and often from
the use of poor collars and WORKOUT harness
generally.
ANY person who has had experience in using
draft horses knows that they should never be
required 70 move az faster gait than walk
when loaded. no matter what the grade OF road
or street may be. nor even when unloaded IN
less some special necessity arises requiring a
faster gait for the safety Of the driver or the
animals themselves. Certainly driving at a
gait beyond walk should not be permitted
simply to crafty the greed of owners of teams
or to meet the demands of contractors and
Others III the delivery Of a certain quantity Of
material within given time.
There should be some law to prevent this
cruel and barbarous use of dumb brutes. some
rule established as 20 what should be required
of these valuable servants. their age and physi-
cal condition being considered Proper per-
sons should be employed to drive and care for
them. How often may be seen half dozen or
day work. being driven home in the evening
by as many halfgrown, heartless colorea boys
beating them with their whips. wooden clubs.
or pieces of boards, and trying to pass each
other on the street.
The use and abuse of horses in the moving Of
street cars have largely ceased. thanks to the
modern motive powers now in use for this pur-
pose. but there will always be a necessity for
the use OF horses and mules as beasts of burden
and for hauling material and goods % points
not reached by other means, and in this age
when every effort possible is being made to reduce
manual labor to a minimum these dumb but
noble animals should be treated with the great
est kindness possible. A.