Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1896-01-20
NAUGHTY DOGS.
Destroy Sheep In the State to the
Value of $3oll in 1895.
License Fees Not as Large as They Should
be, Figures on Claims.

There has been received by the State
for dog licenses for the year 1925, 81
So, and Of this has been returned to
the cities, towns and plantations for sheep
claims. 1911. Sc, or about 10 per cent of
the amount received. This percentage is
about the same as last year, indicating
that the dogs have committed about the
same amount of depredations.
There is, however, slackness in the
collection of license fees which would
seem to reflect rather more on some men
of the State than upon the dogs, and will
bear out the statement of one DR.. John
son and Others, that The more he saw of
many places, particularly where many
sheep are killed, there are few collections
The law provides that all dogs shall be
taxed, and the taxes accruing are sent to
the State treasury. The claims for sheep
| destroyed by the dogs are also sent tc the
State treasury, and paid by them to the
occurred. But, a town TO make claim,
must have contributed at least something
towards the treasury or in other words,
entered something into the pot to en-
title it to return. Several towns take
advantage of this, and put in Just enough
to let them in. The town doesn't care
| ~ is orfa " mill hat of ur
dogs should pay for its dogs doings.
In small places especially is it difficult
for the tax collectors to make the owners
pay up The owner gives the collector to
distinctly understand, you let me and
my dog alone" Where the chance to let
it slip is so easy. the collector doesn't like
to make trouble for himself and the dog
or dogs, and so the matter slides.
To remedy this trouble, it has been
suggested that each town pay its own
damage claims, which would make the
collectors stir around little in some OF
the sections where the dogs do damage.
| The towns, on the other hand, claim that
| il isn't right to base it on that system, as
stranger dogs often encroach into their
town boundaries and say they don't pro
pose to pay for what these dogs do. II
they could catch the dogs, It would be
identify them and perhaps locate the
owner, but dogs aren't to be caught
These good protesters against such sys-
tenn as cach~town paying its own claims
on these grounds, however, forget that
their dogs are Just as likely to go over to
the next town as the next towns dogs are
into their own. And as far as the regular
professional tramp dog is concerned, to
them all are equally liable.
One thing is certain, the State doesn't
care 1t receives the sums from each
town, Jumps them, and, after all claims
are paid returns to each town the amount
if paid in, after deducting uniform per-
centage, determined by the totals paid in,
and the total paid out.
In the case of Augusta, for instance :;
The State doesn't care because it pays in
s77s. and, although, as in the past year,
not one sheep claim is brought against it,
for damage done within its precincts, it has
TO pay of its sum collected matter of ten
ncr cent fer what other dogs have
done all oyer the State Neither do the
dogs care, for that matter
But, dogs will be dogs; it is their de-
1 LIGHT to bark and bite, and as long as
there are sheep around, there will always
be some dogs who will bite them. Like
wise men will be men, and as long as
there are taxes there will he some men
who will not pay them.
The following table gives few of the
returns from dog licenses, and amounts
Maid out. Throughout the State, the
largest amount paid out was to the town
Of Wells, $3.50. So The smallest was tc
Strong, 81. Portland paid in the largest
sum amounting to $1olS, claiming of ii
only $50.
II will lie borne in mind, in reviewing
this table, that whatever may be thu
speciflc relation Of tho amount received