The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1901-11-17
THE S. P. c. AS UJOD WORK
ANIMAL IMPORT OF President Bossieux-An
Lac es ing Paper.


of the Richmond Society for the Proven
ton of Cruelty to Animals. submitted at
the annual meeting on Tuesday night,
gave a very interesting review Of the
past years work. 1t is as follows:
What better evidence is needed that
our society carries out the purpose For
which it was incorporated-vz, TO pre-
vent cruelty. than is found in the small
percentage of arrests as compared with
the number of cases to which it's att2n-
ton is called
The number of cases investigated dur
ing the year ending October l, 1901, was
one thousand five hundred and seventy
siN embracing various phases of cruelty.
and out of this number there We're only
fourteen prosecutions.
The whole trend of our work is toward
prevention. and the Instructions to. our
agent are to carefully consider the Of
Tense, make a thorough investigation Of
all circumstances, and apply the legal
remedy only when the abuse is OF such
| a character as to justify it.
ALL ARE INVESTIGATED.
Each and every complaint reported at
our office or to our agent is carefully in
vestiSated and a triAing case consumes
| in its examination as much time as one
| in which there is real cause. Our re-
| port shows one hundred and thirtyorc
cases where no complaint could be found;
nine hundred and sixteen horses, old, sore,
| weak, thin, or in some way disabled, were
| ordered from labor, in many cases their
suspension being of a temporary nature,
! say for a few days or a week, or such
| time as would afford them an opportunity
! to rest or to heal their sores.
| Our society began 4 crusade against
unblanketed horses two years ago. and
will keep it up every winter, starting cut
this year with the hope that an animal
without covering Of some kind will rarely
be seen standing OF our streets for any
length of time in the cold rain or sleet.-
The time is fast approaching when our
streets viii be rendered unsafe by reason
of snow and ice surfaces. At all times
of the year, asphalt principally and gran
lite to g lesser degree, are occasionally
made dangerous 10 horses after slight
moisture from rain, and we would urge
that fine gravel or sand, which are the
best known remedies against evils that
are greatly increased during wintertime,
be spread over dangerous places.
It is needless to prove that cruelty to
animals is unfortunately more common
than is generally imagined. II some have
any doubt and think cruelty to animals
is quite an exceptional thing. q perusa!
Of the cases that are published in our
report each month will sufficiently en-
tighten them. Since, therefore, cruelty
exists, and to a widespread extent, the
question of how to prevent or check 1t
naturally arises. Doubtless every one has
noticed that whenever 4 genuine case OF
cruelty occurs in the city, a crowd soon
gathers around the offender, not, tn be
sure, to put q stop TO it, but simply to
7ao!1 on and to deplorc the fate OF the
poor animal, or to pass remarks to the
effect that it is great pity there is not
. policeman in sight or an agent Cf the
Society for the Prevention Of Cruelty to
Animals. Beyond that the public rarely
go Why? Not because they are bad at
heart but simply and solely because few
are there who have the pluck to take the
initiative. forgetting or not knowing that
Il they have to deal with powerful
brute-the brute il that case being the
nen-who, rcsenting any interference.
might have recourse to personal violence,
he very fact that one Of the bystanders
has the energy to demonstrate and has,
as it were broken the spell which e.
strained many well-;ntentioned people
rom interfering, there would. the mo-
nent after, be a dozen men to side with
him.
APPEAL TO CITIZENS.
It is my earnest wish that the good
hearted people, who are in the majority.
would have the moral courage to raise
their voices, feeble as they may De- IN
defense OF the oppressed. / consider that
We cannot do better to check cruelty 70
,nimals and to finally prevent it altoseth-
II, than TO seize every opportunity OF
'eacl1ing humanity in general, both by
s-ecept and example. the Importance o.
seaching children to habits OF gentieness
md training which should begin on me
.aother's lap and which should De con-
inued at school, is vast consldera uon.
Wo close the year 1901 with thanhtui-s
ness to all who have aided US. For some
me we struggled with adversely, but
through the Kindness Of God friends were
aise6 WI for us, and the activity OF
,ur association is recognized throughout
his city. The Police Department has al
avs rendered US valuable assistance
nd we would ask for their cooperation
= MANY of the small cases that We are
allied to handle. where the agent cannot
"a secured from the fact that some other
.ase of Importance is clairaing his atten-
ION.
To all who have helped us financially
= morally we are grateful. And to the
3,seeswssaarers OF the city we also feel in
a nv ~, ri 60