The Montgomery advertiser. [volume] (Montgomery, Ala.) 1885-1982, 1909-05-14

early part of this twentieth century
salient feature Is that protecting. phys
licking and housing of the dumb crea-
lures that throng the streets. ana thf
country-ways, and that adorn the 40
mestic Preside. Societies for the pre-
vention OF cruelty to animals. hospitals
private and public. for their treatment
and shelters. temporary ana permanent,
have arisen with the needs OF the
times, but they are 30 few as yet that
they are a mere drop In the bucket
when compared with the need OF sucn.
There are three homes In the United
States for aged and WORKOUT horses'
patterned. doubtless. after the one tnat
was established In Acton. England. IN
1885. the pioneer institution OF ITS kino
In the world. The ideas on which the
Acton work was based, were that board
would be given WORKOUT horses on
moderate terms until they had recn-
perated, and IL the owner OF the morse
could not AFFORD to pay. the animal
would be cared for anyway: temporary
loans OF horses would be made TO the
owners Of horses taking the rest cure
at farms, and old favorites or family
driving and riding horses would find
permanent home wherein to spend their
Last days.
The FIRST home for horses on Amer
lean soil was established. near Philadel-
phia In 1889. the sum Of $4,000 hav-
ing been left for that purpose by the
bequest of Mrs. Mary Ryerss OF Phil
adeIphia. A beautiful farm near Fox
Chase. twelve miles from Philadelphia,
was bought for the home, the 114-acre
tract being part woodland. part IN
grain fields and part used for raising
vegetables. The superintendent lives
In a two-centuries old stone house, ana
the nearby barns have room for thirty
ohrses at time. Here are brought the
overworked and worn-out horses. the
very old ones that are permanently
disabled by strain or accident. the
Pennsylvania Society for the Proven
ton Of Cruelty to Animals having SUI
pervision of such work. and 1t 10 all
free TO the owners of the horses. It 10
q temporary home for the over-worked.
a permanent one for the aged and dis
abled.
Six years ago the second farm OF
the kind was established In the United
States near Stowe. Mass. twenty-three
miles from Boston. Miss Harriet Bird
gave the farm and her own services.
only asking that some organization
raise means for supporting the insti-
tuition. The idea was immediately
taken up by public minded people OF
Boston and the farm of ninety acres
was incorporated under the name Of
Red Acre farm and became the imme-
diate refuge of the fiotsam and tetsam
of horsedom for Boston.
Formerly in that city the old horses.
worn out in the service OF the Fire
Department, or other municipal work,
were auctioned off. Now. by enact
ment OF the State Legislature. they
are taken to the farm to end their days
in peace. BY law enacted In Massa-
chusetts In 1907 the officers or agents
of the Humane Society may take pos
session of and have condemned old
work horses, a reasonable price being
named for the horse and Its purchase
made by the society. Maine and Ohio
have similar laws. The ones 30 con-
demned in Boston are sent to the Red
Acre farm and the average price paid
for these dereiicts is about -. 4
i The lame, the sick, the ver-worked,
the spawned, the foundered. the blind.
the very old, and those suffering from
blood poison or disease, find refuge
at the farm. 1872 being cared for the
first winter. alone Those owned by
the farm association are given the best
attention. fed. pastured, and
given, a good rest;l then If they have
recovered sufficiently TO do 1ight,work,
some are placed with Fs1asters of GUAR
anteed kindness of disposition, the 9TH
ers remaip AS Dsnstoqnrss on Ahesbounty
OF the faEpas TheFeris 1eikolds0fs =.
pitifullY thin. bad-tempefeds 41alf-sick
mare brought to the farm fer treat
ment and rest that. had so far -recu-
perated In "A months time that her
temper was good and her strength
restored, but so fond had she. grown
of the farm that she promptly came
back after her owner had taken her
back to the city. and in kindness Of
heart he left her there permanently.
In 1907 the third home for horses
was established ats Pine Ridge. near
Dedham, Mass. within ten miles of
Boston, being part Of the work of the
Animal Rescue League of Boston. Q
ten year old organization that has also
cared fou 1900 homeless dogs and
cats during its existence. The Pine
Ridge farm Is used as a vacation home
for horses. taking about dozen out
at time.
A most excellent branch of this or
ganiza tons work is that which has
taken the form Of club for men own
ing one, perhaps two horses. but not
over two. This Is called the Horses
Aid. Association, and the chief Of the
conditions named for Its members is
that each will bring his horse and out
fit for inspection at least once-a month.
Horse, harness. and blanket are care
fully examined, and advice given where
nG6uSu.s EdCn IuGkuDSE IL 6nIlLltu u a.
free veterinary service and, in cold
weather. If he cannot, afford a blanket
for his horse. one is loaned him. The
more prosperous are barred from this
club, the very poor who need help be-
Ing the more desired. Those ignorant
of the proper care Of horse are given
careful and kindly instruction. and a
friendly rivalry In showing the best
horse or rig is soon engendered For
he .AaxaN Of q
club a stable. costing several thousand
dollars, was built. and the horses thus
assured a good oversight in the mat
ter of prompt feeding and watering.
Reading and rest rooms and shower
baths for the men were built In con-
nection with the stables.
Work horse parades have done much
to increase hbndness aud care among
the draft animals. prizes being Of
fered wnd pride stimulated in this way
Boston held the first work horse pa
rade In May 1907. New York, Chicago,
Philadelphia, Burlington, Columbus.
Springfield, Kansas City, Toronto and
Pasadena followed in rapid success
sion. ..... =
Homes for small animals are begin
ming to appear here and there, wher-
ever benevolent folks have grown to a
practical interest in the work. One OF
the foremost. is the Bide-a-Wee Home
in New York City. where, since its
inception In June. 1908, about 5000 an
imals have been received and cared for.
The home does not make a business Of
destroying animals needlessly. tits only
when a cat or dog has been brought
In hopelessly siciI' or injured that 1t is
mercifully put to death bv an approx
ed method of painless asphyxiatlon
Homes are found for the animals as
soon as possible and more than three