The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1897-07-13
sf0 BE SHOT TODAY
WHOLESALE MURDER OF DOGS AT
TIE CITY POUND
orutfL and Low-Lived Occupation of
Catching and killing Dogs has Assumed
Large Proportions-The Men Engaged
In the Business Even Snatch Harmless
Little Children and Garry Them on In
Order to Make a Paltry Twenty Five
Cent Piece

The most brutal device, in the way of
city system, the most cruel municipal
tool, Is the "dog-catcher." Ii is bru-
tai occupation and brutes are necessarily
intrusted with the job. Only two-legged
brutes, devoid OF feeling and of all self
respect would accept such mean DO
H-lon. A dog-catcher is a sneak in prac-
ice, thief by profession and a torturer
ny commission. The occupants of the
average home sorrow less over the loss
q The family horse than over the disap-
pedrance of the household pet the dog.
Inc law does not recognize the dog as
property, but the dog which has gained
the affections Of children. who has grown
up with them from puppyhood, is more
dear, more valuable than property For
a few paltry dollars some miserable
skunk Is hired for so much per head to
eaten and cruelty slay all dogs found
astray or running at large. With a
cheap outfit some worthless darkey or
white galoot, too lazy to earn an honest
living, starts in to play dog-catcher. at
twenty-five cents per head. These poor,
homeless, faithful and affectiona. e
orutes are hauled to a suffocat ting, dirty.
Sinking pen on the West Side. where
they are Snot. So anxious are these low
EVed Whelps 20 earn an extra quarter
that they Will invade yards. private
premises, and even snatch up pet poodles
in the presence of the children 10 whom
ihey belong, if no grown men are in
sight Mothers of families plead in vain
10 nave their childrens' pets saved, prom
lsing 10 see that the husband pays the
tax. But the pleadings and tears of wo-
men and children go unheeded. The dog
catcher, with his worthless assistants,
pTowl up and down es, around back
yards, and wherever they think they can
nab somebody's dog without being SEEN
Many valuable dogs are missed by their
owners and are never found They have
been taken 10 that hole on the West Side
and after a day or two's herding and
starving, are shot. Where is the HUI
name society? A lot OF these unfortu-
maze dumb brutes are TO be shot today,
among them some fine Spaniels, mourn
ed, no doubt as lost or stolen at some
home. The city has no right to kill
your dog and lis brute dog-catcher has
nc right 10 take your dog When playing
with your children in the Streets or
elsewhere If mothers can find nothing
Else at hand, let the fellows have a gal
lon or so of boiling water, pitchfork,
or anything handy. The owners OF tbs
dogs to be butchered in the pound today
0upht m -, nj
dirty concern 10 the ground, thrown the
Dutch keeper into the sewer and take
their dogs home, where they have a
right to be and remain. The paltry sum
OF money realized, yearly. by the city
out OF this inhuman business would not |
for the sorrow, the wrong |
and indignation, felt by a single child |
over the loss Of his dog companion, we
care not what the pedigree of the ami |
NAL The average right-thinking man
Or woman Of feeling would rather plug a |
chunk of lead into the thief who had |
stolen his or her dog than the thief who |
had stolen horse or a COW. Its not the |
revenue that the city gets out of the |
neasly business, but the money the
orutes who follow the low calling get |
which spurs on the outrageous business. |
Starved dogs running the streets at large |
Without owners should be disposed of as |
an act Of humanity. But this making a |
regular business of, and a livelihood out. !
Of dog-catching and Staying household |
pets. is too low-lived to be called con-
and If a mob consisting Of |
those who have been thus outraged |
should tear the cage 10 pieces, level the |
pound to the ground and leave the
snatchers laundering in the Arkansas
River. a write-up Of the fact, with dis
play head. will De made with pleasure.