The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1896-04-02
CRUELT Y TO ANIMALS.
The Annual Meeting Of the Society
Held Yesterday.

The Report of the Agent, Mr.. Perry-Elec
ton of Directors for the Ensuing Year.
The annual meeting Of the Society for
the prevention sof Cruelty to Animals
was held yesterday afternoon, President
Fuilen IN the chair. The business OF the
meeting was hearing the report of the
agent, Mr. Perry, which was as follows
10 the officers and mem bers of the
Maine State Society for the.Proteotion
of Animals:
Agreeably TO the suggestion, quite gen.
orally made by the President and Dirsc-
tors OF the Society that it should be done,
| nave presented more sextended report
than usual of the work in nv depart
ment
Local Work The work of the Society
is In satisfactory condition. Prosecution
for cruelty has been necessary in but few
cases. A friendly public sentiment has
assisted greatly in our work and made. it
possible TO obtain voluntary reports Of
| cases OF abuse OF animals; all but few of
such reports have been found, upon in
yestlgation, to be made in good faith,
ana nave led to the correction of many
| minor abuses, suoh as over-oheoking, un-
necessary exposure of horses without
blanketing, unoleanly sta bles and the
| like.
The matter of cattle TRANSFORMATION at
this port has received considerable at
| IGNITION. am pleased to report that the
condition in this departm cnt of our work
is quite satisfactory the various trans
portatlon companies having shown ia dis
position to comply with the requirements
of tho law.
The most important part Of Fthis cattle
CnnpTnfinn 10 hn nvfA cf Va IN
shipment by ocean. steamers Of cattle COM
Ing to Portland by rail. Dr. F. w.
Huntington, veterinary surgeon and an
agent appointed on application to tho
Governor by the Society for the Protec-
ton OF Animals, has entire charge of this
WORK and we have the satisfaction of
knowing that there is the least possible
amount of suffering among these animals
This result has been brought about very
largely by the efforts OF the M. S. P A.
In interesting the officers of the transpor-
tation companies concerned
An attempt has been made dnring the
past year, as in former years, to call the
eel to drivers that it is quite common for
drivers, coming home at night, to drive
so fast that the horses, having worked
hard all day, are brought In wet and ex-
hausted and are likely to be left to shiv-
er all night The fact that horses BY this
treatment must soon be rendered worth
less ought to have some effect in correct
ing any suoh abuses as may exist.
A promising field for the extension of
our local work Is that of the instruction
of children in matters relating to the
humane treatment of dumb animals 1t
is hoped that attention will be given to
this subject by the Society during the
coming year.
The outside work of the society presents
a condition of affairs worthy Of careful
attention. Under the law of the state
agents for the protection of animals may
be appointed by the Governor, upon the
recommendation sof the President and
three of the Directors of any Society for
the Protection of EAnimals, or upon the
recommendation of the municipal officers
of any town. During the past few years
large number of agentss have been APP
pointed under this law, the total number
in the state now being sixty.
1t was not unnatural that these officers
should be somewhat in the dark about
what was required of them and seek in
formation from our Society. This dispo-
sition has been encouraged and as a re-
suit have conducted q steadily inoreas-
ing correspondence with other agents in
the state and persons who have interested
themselves In our work. IN some locali-
ties branches of our Society have been or
ganized and good work DONE This Ia
PAL oiCuldFly truo Oh W6IcnVlllo IN eOXfOrQ
County where great interest has been
taken through the earnest efforts of Mrs.
S. r.. King
The following extracts from letters
from agents, which havesbeen returned in
answer to inquiries sent out. at the sug-
gestion OF tho President, will give some
what of an idea of the work being done
through the state:
Augusta, Me-, March 5, 1896
The 43 cases Investigated Include every
thing to which my attention has been
called. There has been vast improve
ment during the last three or four
months.
j. +. BEAN, Agent
Freedom, Me-. March H. 1896.
Dear Sir:-There has been a marked
change for the better in the care and
treatment OF dumb animals since my ap-
pointment in this section. Most of our
people treat their animals kindly.
Yours truly,
j. W. DRESSER,
Agent.
East Stoneham, Me-, March z, 1896.
Dear Sir:-The people have been law |
abiding. [ have been obliged to prose-
out,a Init npa case