The San Francisco call., 1904-06-10
Rough on Dog Tourists.
Special Correspondence

HEADQUARTERS OF THE CALL,
5 HENRIETTA STREET. COVENT
GARDEN, LONDON, May 27.-Not for
long while has any more absurd
mandate been issued from a Govern
ment department than the British
Board of Agriculture's new regulation,
which has Just gone into effect, reqQir-
ing all dogs reaching these shores from
abroad to wear for six months there
after a sort of harness Of most extra
ordinary pattern. People who are in
the habit of taking their canine pets
with them on their travels are in a
huff over the measure, and as 1T Will
be enforced with undiscriminating
stringency against dogs brought over
by American visitors the matter is one
that Will interest many readers in the
United States.
The official reason given for this or
der is the necessity Of protecting Brit
ish stay-at-home dogs from the dan
ger Of being infected with rabies by
foreign dogs, though how the Board Of
Agriculture's canary-coIored harness is
to have the slightest effect one way or
the other on the spread Of hydropho-
bia is one of those inscrutable govern
mental mysteries which hopelessly baf-
f1es the ordinary understanding. But
the edict has gone forth and must be
obeyed or divers severe pains and PEN
alties will be incurred by the Offend
ing dog or it's owner. With that mi
mute attention to petty and superflu-
rr-hfch % fpriZoS most
acts of British officialdom microscopic
directions are given as to how the de-
vice is to be constructed. This is the
specification which accompanies the
Board of Agricultures mandate:
The harness must be made of canary
colored hide.
1t must be lined with red felt, pinked
at edge and stitched throughout with
yellow thread.
There must be a girth strap. two
shoulder straps, chest strap, martin
gale and saddle.
The girth strap shall be fastened by
means Of staples and ratchet plates,
the staple to turn freely and to have
a small hole to admit of the string of
official leaden seal.
be made of aluminium.
The plate on the saddle is to bear the
following words, deeply engraved, and
filled with black lac:
BOARD OF AGRICULTURE
AND
FISHERIES.
IN QUARANTINE
FOR RABIES.
d. NO..
TIaaco df~ooffo,c y,ar,ef Io Cd
hered TO. No latitude is allowed for
the display of individual taste. The
substitution of yellow felt for red felt,
or red thread for yellow thread, will
constitute violation of the law which
may be sternly dealt with. 1t would
seem that the British Board of Agri-
culture has discovered some intimate,
though occult, connection between can
ary-coIored hide, red felt and yellow
thread and the suppression of rabies.
The cost of the harness will be SO rs
and upward, according to the size re-
quired.
When a dog lands it must be SUBJ
jected 70 an examination by a veter-
mary surgeon appointed by the board.
Whether or no the animal shows any
signs Of rabies makes no difference.
After pocketing his fee he will proceed
TO invest it with the weird arrange
ment of straps, buckles, ratchet plates,
martingale and saddle, and affix the
Board Of Agriculture's seal, which it
will be a punishable misdemeanor for
any one but the authorized official to
break. And for six months thereafter,
sleeping or waking, in the privacy of
its owners back yard or curled up on
its mistress lap, the dog must wear
that harness with the accompanying
quarantine badge. And in addition, for
the same period, it will not be allowed
on public thoroughfare without be-
ing muzzled.