Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1900-07-20

but often great harm. The dangerous
dogs are those who are ownerless and
live as tramps. They are not muzzled,
and often have dangerously bitten
household dogs that are muzzled and
helpless when attacked. The interest
ing story of "Rab and His Friends" de-
scribes the attack of tramp bull ter
rier on gray old huge mastitf saun-
tering about his masters lawn. THE
bailies had proclaimed general muz.
cling" just as our commissioners have
done. His master had encompassed
his huge jaws in an apparatus made out
of the leather of an ancient breechin'.
The strap across his mouth was as in.
tense as bow string. His lips curled
in rage, his teeth CLEANED and he
roared with Indignation" But he was
helpless while the bull terrier gnawed
at his throat. One of the boys present
mad knife. He says: II put its edge on
the tense leather; il ran before it; and
then-one sudden jerk of the enormous
head, a sort of mist about his mouth,
no noise-and the fierce bull terrier is
dropped, limp and dead. The mastifi
had taken him by the small of the back
and broken it,"
That story from England demon.
strates what all men of common sense
understand. Not onl the mastiffs. but
the little fellows, the lap dogs and pets
of the children, are all helpless when
muzzled, and the stray tramps can
throttle and kill them. Commissioners
Macfarland, the man who has endeay.
ored to have the muZzle order revoked
says:
"The danger of hydrophobia has been
grossly exaggerated, and probably by
Che supporters of institutions estab
lished ostensibly for the cure of ny.
droph obia, in the name of humanity,
but who require 500 to 5000 for treat
ment for the alleged disease. They have
set up a theory and act upon the as.
sumption that their theory is an es
tablished fact, when it is far from tn,
truth"
The commissioners who stand BY
their obnoxious order will give no req.
son for their action. They say that 1t
was based originally upon the rumor
that there was "a mad dog or dogs in
the district of Columbia" and that
public saftey required the proclaina-
| ton. Commissioner Macfarland says
that the best dog law known is that OF
London. which requires all dog owners
to have their pets registered and fur.
nished with collars bearing the names
of their owners. and imposes fine { I
500 upon any person keeping a dog
without complying with the regu!a'
| tions. We have n similar law for Wash
ington, but the fine is only $40.
IF our law were properly en-
forced" says Commissioner Macfar
land. 1.-THE uncared for. unlicensed dog
would soon disappear by the impound,
ing system, and killing, so that there
would be no necessity for interfering
with the dogs that are cared for. and are
therefore not dangerous" Acting upon
| this conclusion orders have been issued
by the poundmaster to increase his
force, capture and destroy all stray
dogs. and leave the household pets un.
molested, except when they are com.
planned of by neighbors as being sus.
pected of savagery.
The poundmaster, or dog-catcher, as
he is usually called, does not believe in
the muzzle order, and he will not be
over Jealous in its enforcement, but he
! is after the tramp dogs with his wagons
and nets and will endeavor to exter-
inmate them. He says that the hydro.
phobia theory is groundless, and that
| more men than dogs ought to be muz.
| zled." SMITH d. FRY.