Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-06-13
STRAY CATS DOOMED
Will Be Caught and Killed by
New Order.
RABIES SPREAD is CAUSE
Menace Has Grown in District in
Last Year.
REGULATION Is UNUSUAL
Expected to Arouse Opposition.
Tax on Felines Also
Advocated.

Alarmed by the extent to which rabies
has developed among cats I'm the Dis
trict Of Columbia. the Commissioners to-
day adopted an amendment to the police
regulations providing for the impound-
ment and destruction OF all cats found
running at large.
The regulation is unusual not only be-
cause few cities have impounding laws
that apply to cats. but because, strictly
interpreted. it provides for the imme-
date putting to death Of the animals. II
is rs follows:
That. hereafter. the poundmaster shall
seize all cats found running at large and
convey the same to the pound, or other
place to be designated by the Commits
sioners. and there destroyed. Any citi-
zen may deliver any such animal to the
poundmaster. who shall destroy the same
above required"
Menace Is Great.
The adoption of the regulation followed
the receipt of a communication from
Harry c. Mclean, acting health officer
of the District. in which that official said
that during the many years the pound has
been under his direct supervision there
has been no year in which cats have de-
public health to the extent they have
during the current fiscal year. In all
nine feline sufferers from this disease.
which are believed to have bitten eleven
persons, have been .mpounded since last
July.
Mr.. Mclean recommended Legislation
that would require owners or keepers OF
cats to take out license for each ami
NAL, but the Commissioners, in view OF
the statistics relative to the development
decided dr2Aft6
course. The law for the impounding OF
dogs provides for the release OF the ami
NAL upon the payment of fee OF r.
No such leniency is to be extended the
owners of cats, for the present. at least.
Officials Of the health Office and Pound
master Emil Kuhn interpret the new
regulation to require immediate death
for all cats impounded.
Opposition Is Expected.
The regulation, it is expected, will meet
with serious opposition on the part of
members OF the Washington Cat Club, as
this club, several years ago, when a prop
osition to place a tax on cats was under
consideration by a former board OF Com
missioners. opposed the suggestion. No
action was taken at that time and as the
matter was not known to have been con-
sidered recently by the Commissioners
their action in regard to it doubtless will
come as surprise.
Poundmaster Kuhn. perhaps is more
concerned than any one over the adoption
of the regulation, as it will mean ad
ditional duties for his office. and, besides,
catching cats is not in the line Of some Of
the employees of the pound. No ordinary
amount of ingenuity and ability, it is
agreed will have to be employed for cap
turing the felines. and how successfully
the new ordinance can be enforced re-
mains to be seen.
In his communication to Commissioner
Johnston, Acting Health OFFICER Mclean
stated that, in 1905 he addressed let
ter to mayors of number of cities hav-
ing a population Of $1,000 and more ask
ing for information relative to the prac
tice of the communities with respect to
the taxing Of both cats and dogs.
Situation Elsewhere.
Replies were received from fifty cities
in this country and nineteen in foreign
lands. In no instance. it is stated, was
the impounding law found to apply to
cats, except in New York.
There is really no good reason de-
clares Mr.. Mclean, why persons keep
ing cats within this jurisdiction should
not be required to pay q tax for that
privilege, especially in view Of the ex-
tent to which such animals trespass upon
public and private property, and trespass
also on the rights of citizens in other
respects. In return for the payment of
such taxes the owners of cats should be
given property rights in them. There
would Of course be difficulties in tile