The Globe-republican., 1896-04-23

DoSy and sheen.
DckB are q great menace to sheen
hussahdry and there is nothing more
exasperating to the shepherd than to
feed and care for flock of sheep all
the long winter through and then have
them run down, MANNED and killed
by some Of the worthless ours of the
neighborhood.
More than once have I met with
losses in the spring by dogs belonging
to neighbors who thoughtlessly al
lowed them tc roam about the COM
munity at will. until finally. caught
raiding sheep .olds. The dogs are
privileged class Of animals because. nc
doubt. Of their having been used by
all mankind in the chase, and as out
door sentinels to inhabitants Of lodges
or mansions.
Probably at no time in the progress
Of the worlds history has the dog beer
Of as little worth to man as he is now.
yet It Is one Of the difhcult questions
to settle satisfactorily to the average
dog owner. The inherent friendship OF
dog and master clings with semi-bar-
barrie aptitude. No worse combination
OF sheep-killing dog from my expert
ence than bitch Of the neighborhood.
with the dogs for miles around, chat
frequently form a compact and destroy
sheep with vengeance.
Next Is the ferocious small dog and
hound or bird dog. with no unmistaka-
bic pedigree long as the moral law.
Most states have dog laws recognize
ing ownership and holding them as
taxable property. said tax paid town.
ship trustee. to pay for losses of sheep
incurred by dogs. yet the purpose OF
the law is not complied with In the
majority Of instances.
Indiana has had several forms of
dog laws on tie statute books in thir-
ty years, and none of them were strict
ly satisfactory The register and tab
law was doubtless the most effective
since 1t provided for every dog to be
registered within thirty days after the
LIST OF April each year. and tabs were
furnished by trustees at 10 cents each
containing numbers corresponding
with those given in assessors books.
Anyone hardening dog (male 81, fe-
male 81 not complying with the law
had to kill their dog or allow the Of.
flcers do it for them.
The present law empowers township
assessors to list dogs at 81 each. 81 for
/ additional onA foYno1n AnO
for taxation, collectible as other tax.
| by county treasurer. and returned to
| trustees Of the respective townships
to defray damages to sheep incurred by
dogs during the year, the balance re-
verting to the school fund. Not more
than half the dogs are assessed and the
tax collected. consequently the most
worthless dogs and those liable to
cause the most damage escape taxa
ton. Don't believe dog tax can be
regulated by weight since the
smaller dog has frequently been as
much the cause of attacks as the larg-
er when permitted to run at will from
farm to farm, either by day or night
time, when most of the mischief is
done. Where law recognizes the dog as
taxable properly, they should be rated
according to value, say at SO. $25 and
$50 each, paying a tax respectively Of
81, 50 and IS, accounted for by the as
SCISSORS and tax paid to trustee be-
tween the first day of April and the
first day of June each year. receiving
| certificate Of register and tab numbered
| correSpOndingly. to be worn by the dog
to secure his identity. consonant with
the law for his protection if lost. and
treated as estrays provided by law for
! other stock. But II found running at
large with no tab may be killed with no
penalty following: otherwise malicious
killing subject to value of dog and
| prosecution.-I. NJ in Farmers Review.