New-York tribune., 1912-01-07
PASSING OF STRAY PETS
How Dogs and Cats Are Disposed
of or Restored to Owners.

Out at Nostrand avenue and Malbone
street stands a long, low, dlngy gray
building, innocent OF fresh coat Of paint
for long, long time. and its very aspect is
perhaps a little prophetic Of the things
which happen daily inside It's walls. Over
the door is a large sign, Shelter for AMI
mails" and under that another which reads,
"The American Society for the Prevention
Of Cruelty to Animals"
II is only one OF several such buildings
situated at different places in greater New
York. IT is a busy place. AS visitors go
in the door they come face to face with
kindly looking young man, J. +. Cunz,
keeper OF the shelter, who Is responsible for
all the statistics and the working Of the
drivers and dog catchers in his district. Be
fore him on his desk are many spindles. one
for descriptions OF cats. another for dogs,
and even some for mice, canary birds and
rats which have been brought 10 the shelter
TO be put out Of the way. Then there are
other spindles on which are inpaled re-
quests for cats or dogs or other like pets
from little girls or boys whose last pets
have either disappeared or gone 20 the
HAPPY hunting grounds" OF 9il good dogs
and cats.
Back OF Mr.. Cunz's desk is a door, and
from a room behind the door all day long
comes a mixture Of howlings and yowlings
from cats and dogs, waiting either 10 be
claimed by their masters and mistresses or
TO be mercifully put 20 sleep" There are
rows and rows Of barred cages, mostly
large ones, where the animals are herded
, together, though there are few smaller
Enclosures where the vicious animals are
confined. Most of the dogs are rather puz-
zled by their surroundings and, unless they
are hungry, SIT wistfully on their haunches
staring through the bars and wondering-n
dogs can wonderfully they are not allowed
to race about the street as they were doing
that morning when the catcher caught
them.
Most Of the dogs are small, undersized 1T
tie ours, looking as though they had lost
some OF the joys Of life, apd many OF them
are battle Scared Out in another little
room is a large box which looks not unlike
an ice chest. This is the gas pen where the
unclaimed animals are suffocated after tney
have been kept twenty-four hours for lden-
tlncation All dogs without licenses are
brought IN. Cats have the advantage Of the
dogs, as they do not have TO wear collars
and are not molested IL they seem TO be
we'll fed and healthy.
Every afternoon about O'clock the gas
is turned on in the gas pen and the animals
which have remained unclaimed for day
are disposed Of. That night wagon from
the Health Department comes along and
takes the dead animals TO the wharf, where
they are put aboard boat for Barren ISL
and.
Sometimes little tragedies occur. little
girl will hurry in TO reclaim her pet. only
70 find that she IS just few moments
too late and that Tabby or Towser or
snookums has "gone TO his fathers
Again, the place is one OF rejoicing when
voungster finds a long lost pet there, ana
goes out carrying a wriggling puppy IN MS
arms or takes away a mewing Kitten io'a
not too secure paper bag
Last August the society took In 5V'i dogs
and 2S23 cats. and in September, l22i. dogs
and 40 cats
The life Of a dog catcher is not an easy
one and many of the employees at the smell
ter show marks of their encounters Win
refractory cats and dogs. One man mas
6fteen bites on his hand and another mas
one side of his face badly Scared. When
asked what they did for the bites ooth
promptly replied, About four fingers o'
forty rod "