The record-union. [volume] (Sacramento, Calif.) 1891-1903, 1899-06-11

struggling over hot bed OF Goals ON a
broiling iron. But WHO cares for the
sufferings of a lobster or crab? They
should not get caught if they do not
wish to suffer for it,
In the days of youth a boy man looks
for pigeons When he becomes man
he looks for a chance to shoot pigeons
Now he is not a cruel man in his ordi-
nary avocations; he does not torture
the cat nor make trouble for the deg.
But he is an ardent advocate Of
slaughter for the mere fun of killing.
If he were asked to train his gun on
the pointer who lies at his-feet ne
would rather point the gun at the
tempter. Yet he will kill inoffensive
doves all day long to show his accuracy
sin aim with shotgun
Did you ever attend pigeon match:
They never call 1t by that name nova
days, for. they are shooting for records,
but 1T is a pigeon match just the same
They are to shoot at certain number
of live targets in order to win the
much Wanted trophy. Now, live pig
cons are those targets. They are for
the most part unfit for good, but does
that make any difference? Not in the
least. Squads are not fit for targets.
for they are too young to know the bru-
tality of man and will not fly. To get
the full skill Of the man one must have
full grown pigeons with wings unclipped
and determination to fly beyond
bounds before the fatal shot can take
effect. Who ever stops to think of the
cruelty to these harmless birds when a
silver cup is the guerdon?
Nature provided the fox terrier with
long tail Will you show in Chicago a
single representa- of that race with
a long and curly tail? The man who
would show such dog would be pitied
by his neighbOrs. If the dog has the
points" his tail is locked. That is
the bulk of it is cut off when he is a
puppy. OF course, it hurts the pup but
if he is permitted to wear a long tail he
Isl not fit for the bench show. So by the
time he is old enough to leave the dam
he is subjected to the docking process
He is ShOrn of his tail and allowed to
howl in anguish until the caudal ap-
pendage heals up and he has the dear
delightful curl much admired by bench
show people.
It is the proper thing to crop the ears
of certain dogs that they may be
=
dows these animals with lop ears that
curve over and aid in protecting the in
ternal ear from insects, etc. But ma
ture did not make the rules Of the
bench and nature must be improved on.
So the tender little puppies are caressed
a bit, then the long ears are placed on
a block and clipped off with a hatchet
What matter is it that the puppies howl
with anguish and go about for days
moaning with pain of the wound? They
have been improved in looks and are fit
to go bench.
The driving of horses with CALLED
dulged in to any very considerable eX-
tent But this is by no means the re-
suit of pity for the animals. Horses thus
afflicted vince and balk and refuse to
work They cannot be driven to per-
form the stint set for them, hence they
are cared for until they. are almost well
and will work the full period and exert
their full powers drawing heavy loads.
But in other ways the people of this
and other cities practice cruelties on
their horses. The more stylish a turn
out the more certain that the animal
drawing it has been shorn Of some
needed attribute.
How many horses that step proudly
along the boulevards, hauling the
wealth and fashion of the city have the
long, silky tails nature bestowed upon
them? Not a dozen will be noticed
Nature provided the tails as weapons of
defense against the attacks of persist