New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1912-07-19
UNMUzzLED DOGS TO CO.
lnoSe on Staten Island Will Be
Shot After August |.
RABIES EPIDEMIC THERE
seventy Recently Examined
round To Be Infected with
Dangerous Disease.

l.
ing until November ]. all unmuzzled dogs
IN the Borough Of Richmond are to be
shot. Health Commissioner Lederle. in
making that announcement Yesterday,
SAID that at the meeting of the Board
OF Health on Tuesday It was decided That
as this was a time of special danger the
board had adopted a special order calling
Tor the killing OF all unmuzzled dogs at
large In the streets of that borough.
The Board OF Aldermen passed a dog
ordinance last June which said that all
dogs on highways should either be
leashed or muzzled. IL this general ordi-
nance requiring the muzzling of dogs in
the greater city is not more generally
compiled with II may be necessary for
the board to extend its special order rela-
tive 10 the shooting OF dogs in the other
bOroushs.
The Society for the Prevention of
Cruelty TO Animals, while II has been CO.
operating with the Department Of Health
| to rid the streets of stray dogs, is op-
posed TO muzzling and the shooting Of
stray dogs.
Many complaints have come TO the
Health Commissioner about dogs running
at large in Richmond In the last few
months. Since January / examinations
were made OF 2l0 dogs from that bor-
ough, and 20 of them were found to have
rabies.
The ordinary Jurisdiction Of the depart
ment III the matter Of dog bites extends
only 70 the removal OF such dogs for
/ observation and their destruction II
found rabid or vicious to such an extent
as TO render them unit TO be Mt .arge.
At times of special danger the Board OF
/ Health has general power to abate nui-
sances to protect health.
on those grounds the board passed the
| following resolution:
That any and all dogs loose or at
large In any public streets, avenues.
. highways or other public places in the
said Borough Of Richmond Of the city
, OF New York, unless held by leash
as 70 protect persons from being bitten,
shall be destroyed as directed by the
l Commissioner OF Health.
1t Is further ordered that this order
first day OF August, 1912, and remain
IN force and effect until the first day Of
I November, 1912.
The dog ordinance passed by the
Board Of Aldermen last year has not
been fruitful Of much relief from the
dogs Drowling about the street, as it
was said to contain a Joker" When
unmuzzled dogs were found the police
were instructed TO take them to the
/ city pound" There is no city pound,
so tho police did not have to collect the
unmuzzled dogs.
There have been recorded in the last
1--WE years fully nineteen thousand dog
bites in the greater city. Health Com
missioner Ledcrle recently said that
drastic action would have to be taken
to rid the outlying districts OF stray
dogs and that, although the Society for
the Prevention OF Cruelty TO Animals
was doing good work. there had been too
many complaints about stray dogs 10
postpone definite action.
The superintendent OF the society said
yesterday that while the equipment for
taking up stray animals in the city had
year the number Of dogs taken from
the streets was 25 per cent less than
in the first six months in 1911. He said
the society was doing more systematic
work than had ever been possible before.
The total number OF dogs taken UP in
/ the first six months this year was
! 24,464 in the greater city. The society
has six automobile ambulances and three
| horse drawn ambulances in service and
much larger dog catching force.
I'VE do not say that hydrophobia does
not exist" gaid the superintendent. but
! in the last fifteen years the dog catchers
} have been bitten on an average OF nifty
times a year and not one has ever had
hydrophobia. The wounds have been
cauterized and properly dressed and the
men went back 20 work again. one Of
/ our dog catchers has just come back to
work after being incapacitated for a
number Of weeks by the bite Of large
dog
/ This official said that according 10 the
! dog license law any kind Of dog could
I be licensed, whether a blue Dane or a
poodle, but that IT was only the small
dog which could live comfortably In the
fathouses of the city, although thou
sands Of residents had collies, st. Ber-
nards and other large dogs in their
apartments.
MONEY TO FIGHT PLAGUE