Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1896-01-07


Our late chief Of Police Major John
Poe. some years ago. after considerable
Investigation OF the subject estimated
thar there were about six or seven thou
sand dogs I'm Richmond. lie also found
that but a small proportion ~ the owners
Of these pcace-disturbing animals paid
the liccnss-tsx required by law We
think that OF late the number ~ dogs
= here has much increased. Certain 1t is
that IT is now So great A. io cause un-
favorable comment by many visitors 10
this city.
As rule. large cities permit no dogs
to appear upon their streets unless they
are led or are muzzled. Here In Rich
mond We still cling TO the vllase-like
custom Of allowing dogs 10 run upon the
streets according to their own sweet tor.
rather. nasty will. and The consequence
is that the streets and alleys of Rich
mond are infested with thousands Of
worthless ours. Many Of these are mas
terlcss. and have been let loose upon the
community TO get their food where
they may.
True. now and then the "dog-catchcrs'
suddenly appear upon our streets and
proceed TO net such dogs as have no IL
cense-medals on: but when the dog
catchers appear in Rockets. say, the
people down there telephone up town
that "the dog-catchers are out and
soon the owners Of or sympsthizers with
the prowlng ours call them in from the
streets. Thus the doe-catchers are de-
frauded OF their legitimate prey. and go
home with their work not a tenth part
done.
II is time that Richmond were waking
up to the modern methods Of Kidding
cities OF the Circumstance. Our dog catch-
ing system will never do. We shall
have to try better plan. Instead OF
dog-catchers. whose duty it is To appear
once or twice a year. VIC should employ
two dog-catchers TO work every day IN
the year These two men could so about
their business quietly. and each day
could gather in some dozen or two Of
dogs In the end. dogs without medal
would be seen no more upon the streets
OF Richmond.
Now, We are far from holding That
because dog wears a medal he can't
howl O nights; can't jump upon a child
and bite IL or brighten IT nearly TO death,
or follow a wheelinan and cndanser his
life Not at all: medalled dogs are
CAPABLE Of all these outrages: hut W.
go in for abating the evil as far as pos
sible. II VIC cannot wholly remove it. And
then our readers must know that the
medalled dogs are. as rule, bett'r dogs.
or, at least. bettcr-cared-for dogs. than
those that prowl tho streets without the
license OF the city Of Richmond
The Police Board has given careful
consideration to this whole question. az
ter corresponding with the authorities OF
a great number of cities. The hoard would
have the City Council create bureau OF
estrays, and employ two men TO do It's
work. II the experience OF Richmond
should be the same that OF other
cities that have adopted this system. the
increase of licenses taken out would near
~ meet the proposed expense.
The nuisance Of the bowling dog should
also be dealt with. Experience shows
that in Richmond neighbors do not care
to arouse the cnmitv Of one another by
reporting each others bowling dogs.
No.. IL it a matter that the police con-
slider TO be within their province Thus
the bowling dog lives on--lives 10 keep
children wake at night: lives 10 vex
anxious mothers: lives to torture the
sick and nervous. That there are such
dogs in Richmond we all know, and
Il shows the patience Tor supinene;sl
Of our people. Some Of these dogs have
been doiry business at tho old stand
and In the old way for ten or fifteen
years And so, in addition 10 catching
the dogs that prowl about the city In IN
daytime, snsrling and swapping at wheel
men. and children, VIC would have our
two dcg-catche.s report the dogs that
have howell themselves into dsreputc
Then the Police Justice ought TO be re-
ouirol 10 fine the owner OF each such
dog. or have the dog killed. as the cir
cGmatance- warranted.
Let US e, out Of our old way Of deal
INK ,Or. rather, OF not dealing, Nth
dogs. &c. NJ make their owners pay
more money into the City Treasury. and !.
LEI us shut the mouths OF those dogs
that make night hldeous with their hor-
rihle howls.