The Montgomery advertiser., 1908-08-08
THic Doc CAmPArGN.

Just at this time there Is a genuine anti-dos crusade going on in New York which threatens to make the old city dog1ess before it Is over. unless a halt Is called. The Board of Health is directing the movement and the orders are to kill every dog which is not led by a rope or leash. or which is not muzzIed. It matters not if the animal is registered and licensed. If 1t is run ming at large withcu. muzz'e 1t is to be killed. and 1t is stated that the orders are being carrisd out with prtt- ty general iniparliaIlty.
 It may be that this dog distraction is being carried beyond reasonable limits. but thA: is almost sure to be the case when an evil can no longer be endured. and that appears to be the condition in New York. The number of loose dogs roaming the streets has become so great that they have become both a pest and a menace. They roam the streets at all hours, frightening, biting and committing all sorts of depredations. Many cases of rabies have been reported and number of deaths have resulted therefrom. all of which has resulted in an anti-dog crusade which may be carried too far before it ends. but there seems no doubt that something of the kind was called for and necessary. If the re- form shall be carried to extremes it will be because it has been too long delayed.
 There is no doubt that too many dogs are allowed to run loose on the streets without control and without excuse. We know that such is the case here in Montgomery. and this is es- pecialIy true in the residence portions of the city. They may frequently be seen and heard at all hours of the day and night. running. strolling. yelpins and barking in the streets. along the sidewalks and into private yards and even into unciosed houses. Since yard fences have been generally abandoned there Is nothing to keep stray CUTS from roaming at will. Some dogs will stay at home and are valu- able as yard-dogs. Some are valued as pets. or because of some associations connected with them. All these can generally be kept at home, but this does not account for the hundreds of miserable brutes which are not only useless, but which make themselves an unmitigated nuisance to quiet citi- gems and are sometimes dangerous. especially to children. They have no known or responsible owners and no one to control them.
 If this Is the case in a compara- lively small city like Montgomery what must be the conditions in a great and congested city like New York? There the thousands and hundreds of thous- ands of unowned and uncontrolled canines had become not merely a pub lie nuisance but a public danger It was allowed to exist until it could no longer be borne, and when forbear- ance and patience ceased to be a vir- tue the crusade of destruction began and 1t promises to be both lasting and thorough.
 It Is to be regretted that Tn a cam paign of dog killing like that of New York many will be killed which are not only harmless. but are really valu- able. but that is unavoidable. It would be wrong to discriminate and often i'm possible. Man has no better friend than a good dog. but the swarms of worthless CUTS that infest most cities should be suppressed or put out of the way, as New York is doing. and as other large elites must do in the course