Smyrna times., 1906-03-28
Dogs MUST WEAR MULES
THROUGHOUT ENTIRE YEAR
COUNCIL ORDERS STRICT MEASURES AS
THE RESULT OF RECENT MAD DOG SCARE

Dogs Running at Large Must Either Be Shot
or Its Owner Fined One DoIlar-All Police
men Must Enforce Law to the Letter
The poor old dog did not seem to
have friend at the meeting of the
Smyrna Town Council last Friday
evening and as the result of anew law
put in force, sweeping in it's character.
he must not run at large any time
through the year unless he wears a
lnuzzle or his canineship is liable to
be shot in cold blood on the streets or
his owner subjected to fine of 81 90
for each and every offence. The sub
ject was first brought up by Council
man John P. Hudson, who reviewed
the recent mad dog scare on West
Commerce Street in which a dog be.
longing to William Potts is alleged to
have had the rabies and, before killed
had bitten several dogs of the neigh
borhood. Several dogs on Lincoln
Street were reported to have been bit
ten. Hudson thought Council should
take every precaution to prevent hy-
drophobia. This caused Councilman
Robinson, chairman of the Street Com
mittee to rise to his feet, and in
speech that was unusually vigorous
and earnest, he called the attention of
the Council to the fact that he had
been a member of that body for about
sixteen years and he regretted to say
that in this time Council had simply
been playing with the dog question.
He earnestly pleaded with the mem
bers that they either enforce the ordi-
nance to the letter or else repeal it. AS
far as he was concerned, he was in ia
vor of putting every safe guard around
pedestrians and for the protection
OF the people; that all the dogs
in Smyrna were not worth the
life of any child who might be bitten
and to get the matter squarely before
the Council, he moved that the old or
dinance be amended to read that dogs
must not be allowed to run at large
without being securely muzzled sat
any time" through the year. instead of
''between June LIST and October 1st. {"
The question was promptly seconded
and brought forth earnest debate.
Taxing Dogs Would Nor Obtain Desired Results
Councilman Stockly opposed muz-
zling the dogs all the year, but was in
favor of taking every precaution
against the spread of rabbies. The
question OF taxing dogs was brought
up, but since 1t was argued that IN
most cases dogs were owned by ire
sponsible people, they could not hope
to get dog tax when in most cases il
was impossible to get its owner to pay
his poll tax. Then again it was argued
that taxing dog would not stop hin
from biting and would be an ineffect
ual law. This idea was abandoned ant
Robinson's motion was carried unani
mously. The question of enforcing
the ordinance was then warmly dis
cussed in which it was intimated tina
the Policemen, in the past had favored
a certain few by allowing their dogs t.
run unmuzzled, when at the sam
time they were killing dogs right ant
left Council put its veto on such pro
ceedings and ordered that the Law
should be no respecter of person
In the matter and the town off
GERS would be expected to enforce tn
law to the letter. Not even is an owne
allowed to take his dog out for a rur
unless it is muzzled. Out of town tn
muzzle can be taken off but in tow
it must be kept on. 1t was also init
mated that some of the officers did nc
want to kill the dogs and before ha
shirked their duty in the matter
Councilman Stockly clinched til
matter by moving "that the en-
forcement of the Dog Ordinanc
be made the duty of every police
man or constable employed by th
Town" This was carried. Council
man Robinson then moved that th
Town Council resolve itself into
Committee of the Whole to see thu
the policemen discharged their dutie
If the latter did not they must give u
their positions and others would
employed. Copies of the ordinanc
were ordered to be printed and postet
notifying the dog owners of the ne
law which was to be put in force in
mediately. Policeman Turner an
Cummins went on the "war path Mo
day. The ordinance is as follows
Section l. Be it ordained by the Town Cou
ell of the Town of Smyrna; That II shall not
la lful for the owners Of any male female d
TO permit the same to go al large in any sire
lane OF alley of the Town of Smyrna, at any I'll
without being efectually muzzed with w
nuzze so as 70 prevent biting. ANY person
offending shall for each and every offence FORT
and pay fine of 90 with costs.
Section 2 That all male and female d.
found going Mt large In any of the streets laI
or alleys of said town, at any time, without bel
H. NJ xnff tror 10 49,