The Washington times., 1903-05-15
MUZZLING OF DOGS
NOT POPULAR HERE
Method Came Into Disfavor
Several Years Ago.
NOT A PREVENTIVE OF RABIES
Activity of Poundmaster Best Means
of Kidding the City of Vicious
and Worthless Ours.

While the municipal omcials of New
York are having trouble over the ques-
ton Of inaugurating a dog -muzzltng or
dinance the District Commissioners are
looking on with interest, remembering
a similar tussle they had with the prob
lem three years ago. Any suggestion
here that dogs should be muzzled would
submit the author of it to severe ridi-
Guile. and possibly personal violence, if
he should air his views at the District
Building.
One thing was made very plain in
Washington in the winter of 1900 public
sentiment was 1000 to 1 against perpe-
trating such cruelty upon animals as to
force dogs to wear muzzles. Such was
the feeling on the matter that when the
six months had expired in which the
muzzling order was in force, it was al
lowed to expire by limitation. No mem
Der of the District Commission had the
nerve to bring it up in board session.
On the day on which the order expired,
according to tradition, the several mem
bers of the municipal triumvirate sat
moodily in their offices and refused to
see callers to discuss dog muzzles.
Law Was Disobeyed.
It was found by actual experiment
that there was great difficulty in the en-
forcement of the order. The animals
worked the muzzles off The wording of
the order was such that small strap
around the dogs jaws sufficed to meet
tie requirements of the law, and that
would not hinder the animal from biting
Many refused TO obey the law. and there
was more or less conflict between the
citizen and the policeman. Public meet
ings were held, and the authorities held
up TO ridicule in a way that made them
squirm. The law was clearly unpopular,
and might have led to dire results had
it been allowed TO remain in force.
The muZZling order had, however, one
good and permanent effect. 1t showed
that dogs we'll cared for. and which
would be muzzled in obedience to the
law, were not those possessed of vicious
pTopensitics or stood in peril of hydro
phobia. Tramp dogs ran at large as be-
fore. 1t became necessary to increase
the force at the dog pound and to en-
ploy two wagons. instead of one, to
catch vagrant animals and kill them.
IN short time the efforts of the pound
master practically rid the District of
dangerous dogs. Since 1901 there have
been few tramp dogs in the District.
Owners More Cautious.
This course has proved,ro be the best
mears to guard against rabies. There
has been only one case of it in the Dis
trict within a year. The dogs most
likely to be affected with this disease
are caught and killed.
Another result of the agitation of 1900
was the passage of a police regulation
making the owner of any dog that
viciously bites any person responsible
most salutary on the local statute
books. There have been in many months
only a few cases of adults or children
being bitten Owners of vicious dogs are
not now willing 10 run the risk of going
to the Police Court and being fined They
dispose of the animals before they grow
dangerous.
Commissioner Macfarland said with
reference to the agitation in New York
that the District of Columbia had
learned better. He doubted If the pas
sage Of a dog muzzling ordinance here
could now be seriously proposed He
said the better way was that pursued
by the District-capturing and destroy
ing the dangerous animals