Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-12-08
HIS FORCE INCREASED
The District Poundmaster Directed to
Capture All Untagged Dogs.
Law to Be Strictly Enforced Ex-
pense to BE Met From Emer-
gencyr Fund.

1t has been decided by the District Com
missioners to enlarge the force of Pound
master Einstein by giving him three addi-
t1onal dog catching teams, with instruc-
tons to impound every dog found running
at large without the tag or collar required
by law to be worn by such animals. This
action Of the Commissioners is not based
on the alleged prevalence of hydrophobia in
the District, but is due to the fact that at
the present time there is, so they have been
informed, an unusually large number of
dogs running at large without the required
tags and collars.
The work of the poundmaster in captur-
ing and impounding dogs has recently been
greatly hampered by the employment OF
himself and his force in the disinfecting SER
vice. He and his men have been so busily
engaged in this work that they have been
compelled to practically stop the work of
capturing and impounding dogs. The Com
missioners now find it possible to take the
pound force from the disinfecting work,
and, with unlimited means from the emcr-
gency fund, place the force exclusively at
work on dogs
What the Law Requires.
The law requires every dog to wear a tag
indicating that it's owner has paid the tax
required by law. Every dog without tag,
whether accompanied by its owner or not,
Is made by the law the prey of the pound
master and his men when the animal is
found running at large. When captured,
the dog is taken to the pound, where he is
kept for forty-eight hours, and If at the
expiration of that period the animal is not
reclaimed the law requires its destruction
by the poundmaster. The law also requires
every dog running at large to wear a col
1nr and 60 f,yI, 10 fhnir
with tags or collars the law makes the Of
Tending owners liable to a fine of not less
than s. nor more than $50 To reclaim an
impounded dog the owner must pay me
of 81, and every person failing to pay the
required license on dogs is also made sub
ject to fine.
The chief of police has been directed by
the Commissioners to have his men inform
all persons on their respective beats OF the
requirements of the laws relating to dogs,
and he has also been directed to enforce
these laws to the fullest extent, the Com
missioners having determined to not only
provide for the capture of all dogs run
ming at large without the required collars
and tags, but also to compel every person
owning or harboring a dog to pay the re-
quired license and otherwise observe the
laws relative to them.
Duty of Commissioners.
While there have been eleven dogs dis
covered suffering from hydrophobia here
since the nrSt OF January, the Commission
els nave, they state no reason to believe
that there is any dog so afflicted now at
large in the District By the act of June
49, 1878, 1t is made the duty of the Commits
sioners, when they have reason to believe
that one or more dogs suffering from by
drophobia are at liberty in the District, to
issue a proclamation requiring all dogs
running at large. or even taken out by
their owners or others upon the streets or
public roads, to wear such q muZzle as
will prevent the animals from biting or
swapping.
In certain sections of the District, par
tculariy in the neighborhood of Dupont
Circle, it is said, there exists today what
may be termed mad dog scare. But Of
fctaly, the Commissioners know of no
mad dog being at large. nor have they
reason to believe that any animal so af-
hicted is now at large, and they therefore
do not feel justified in issuing the procla-
nation provided by the act of 1878 Simply
as natter of precaution and because of
their belief that there are many tramp and
unlicensed dogs running at large, have they
enlarged the force of the poundmaster and
given him and the police department en-
phatic instructions to enforce to the ut
most extent the laws applicable in such
cases