The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1900-04-18
THAT DOG LAW.

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who cannot say something sgains, a oop
In some sections and with some people the
very name "dog" has long been a term of
reproach so Ihan it 10 p ooable that the
passing OF law against dogs will not be q
difficult matter. Before it is doue, however.
l want TO rise 10 defense Of them. have q
vague idea that TO muxz's or conine some of
our footl loose people will accomplish more
for our community than to nuzzle and COO.
hoe the dogs For rs years, I have not
heard OF mad dog biting any one 10 Sum.
ter. Such q calamity may have be!allen
some one 10 the couctry, but l have not
heard OF the accident happening to suy one
10 town Why this 10, l cannot toll /; but il
10 certain that dog law which will not pro.
tect us against the visits of the beas's from
abroad will do very little good TO our ci,i.
sens. II We are to have a law. then, to pro.
tect us agsnst mad dogs. suggest that we
60 back to The ancient method, aud build a
wall around our town, go az to keep out the
furious beasts which are threatening our
happiness.
! am Inclined TO think our honorable board
OF aldermen will DOT End the law ss popular
% some of them imagine. So1e of US love
ooes, and nave about come to cay with Mr..
Sam Jones, "The more see of men. the he,.
ter I like dogs" A dog is a mans oss,
friend-about the only friend the AVERAGE
man has that is willing to die with him o.
for him, and wheo siringeat legislation 10
enacted concerning our friends and pets. the
resnlt will bs q constant irritation that will
not be altogether pleaeant to our law makers.
1t Is true that, as far So possible. a man
should keep his dogs within his Own enclos.
nre think n oct persons try to do thai.
out the auimal being natural wanderer and
nrst class scavenger, it is very difficult 10
conhne him within a fxed area. Ia some
sections, the law requires that the dops shall
De mnzzled If allowed on ,hs streets This
10 hard law and is the CT max of cruelty.
dog suffers torture from q 70 when unable
to defend himself With his teeth, and 90 crush
them out
Really think We are suffering from nm.
necessary fright. Rumors of mad dogs 6ll
the air now and then or late, these rSmors
have prevailed above measure. Not onlv
have We been hearing of mad dogs, but Of
various and sundry "vsrmints" which "a,
dogs These, too, are ABROAD, aud we should
have law sgainst them also 1t seems that
oar forests are infested With all manner of
evil beasts, aod IL our honorable law makers
are goiag to protect us against one Get of
aoamals, we beg them to make the protection
perfect. and Include also the fesrful mon.
sters which are said 10 be roaming the for.
ssts, devouring ss they go.
But tor The consolation OF our distressed
people. beg leave to say that the really mad
Dog is very scarce article Dogs are subject
to some OF the same brain troubles which
affict men When man has brain trouble
and suffers from temporary deranRemot. we
give him medicine and seek to cure bin
when dog has like trouble, we decide 10
kill bin, and then con6ne or muzz,e h,s
whole race, and 80 contribute what we can to
super'nduce other similar troubles. Within
q few days. friend told me of mad dog
which assailed man, and it chauced that
tne man ran into gate, and caught the dogs
nead between the gate and tha post. While
ne was secured, secoud man Gomez on the
around. and brains the brute with a club
From bis broken head there poured out
now OF filthy matter, showing clearly that
the poor dog had merely been suffering with
some disease Of t5e brain which had frenzied
him with suffering Statistics show that
only abo1t oneh half Of those who are bitten
oy dogs with rabies ever develop anyth thing
like madness, and am satisfied that multi.
tudes Of poor bruies which are killed are
rather sick than mad
honestly believe our law makers are ex.
pending their energies in tho wrong direc.
tion. Mad dogs arc not nearly 60 irjurious
as vicious men and women
Sumter, April I6, 1900