Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1913-07-11
Existing Laws Inadequate to
Cope With Problem Involv-
ing Hydrophobia.
MAYOR HAS POWER TO
ORDER CANNES KILLED
Wholesale Destruction Proc
Iamation Would Entail More
Harm Than Good.

law regulating the dog menace and
communications and telephone calls
have been received at the Star office
asking what a parent may do to
bring about the destruction of dog
which has bitten a child. The Board
of Health claims that it cannot COM
pei the owner of a dog to kill the
animal after it has bitten person
and there is no city ordinance gov
erning the regulation of dogs which
covers this point
The only ordinance, is Board of
Health measure compelling that body
to notify the owner to keep the dog
under observation for a period of
twelve DAYS, but this Is very unsats-
factory because the board has no
power to compel the owner to do this
and in most cases the order is disre-
garded by the person owning the
dog.
The only solution of the problem,
which is recognized as a very serious
one, is a State law giving the power
to some department of the city to I'M
mediately kill a dog that has bitten
anybody. 1t is very probable siren
nous effort will be made at the spe-
eiai session of the Legislature, which
will probably be called next month,
10 have such law enacted. such
bill will in all probability be intro
duced by one of the Essex assembly
men at the coming session.
Confers Power to Kill All Dogs.
The only law regulating the meas
ure is one giving the mayor the power
whenever he esteems 1t for the puo-
lie good to issue a proclamation for
the indiscrimihate destruction OF
dogs running at large except those
that are muzzled. The ordinance
further states that after this has
been published any person shall be
justified in killing such dog as
long as the proclamation is-in force.
MAYOR Haussling is out of town, so
efat his opinion in the matter could
not be obtained today, but 1t is very
fmproba BILE that the mayor would IS
sue a proclamation of this sort CIV
ing the power to any citizen to do
away with the animals as 1t Is be-
lieved that such thing would be too
dangerous In a city of this size. The
only solution therefore seems to be
state law regulating the matter and
right to kin the animals.
The general alarm of the parents
of the city followed an investigation
of the Star following complaint
made by II. l.. Pillar, of SS2 South
Sixteenth street, whose son Samuel,
aged years, was bitten by neigh
boris dog. After the boy had re-
ceived treatment for the bite Mr.. Pill
a-I Nf
asked that the dog be killed, explain
ing that the dog would be menace
to others. The fact that the dog was
dead would allay the fears OF his
wife, who was sick, he said, and in
a highly nervous state at the time.
Pillar was informed that the board
could not compel the killing of the
dog, but could merely issue the Gus
tomary permit to the owner asking
that the dog be kept under observa-
ton for the period of twelve days
prescribed in the ordinance. A num-
Der of other parents have faced the
same situation and are insistent that
something should be done in the
matter.
Since the 18th of June there have
been thirty-nine cases of dog bite
treated in this city and the alarm
of the parents Is also shared. by the
officials themselves, who agree that
something should be done in the
matter.
DR.. r. N Connolly, bacteriologist
of the Board of Health, declared that
the dog problem was one of the
greatest menaces to the community
and that legislative action should be
taken at once for the regulation and
restriction of dogs wandering al
large. 1t is one of the hardest PROB
lens the board has to contend with,
DR.. Connolly added, and the disease
caused by a dogs bite is one of the
most peculiar in the medical curri-
culum.
Boards Hands Are Tied.
"The hands of the Board of Health
are absolutely tied. Time and again
we have tried to have the Legisla
ture take some action. Last year
bill was introduced in the Legisa-
ture providing that owners of dogs
register their animals, giving the
breed, color. etc. In return they
would receive tag that would act
as a license and would be fastened
dIounu Ine uOSS HeCh ne cldfBS
was to be twenty-five cents. The
bill. however. was defeated and met
great opposition on the part of dog
owners
In every other State there is
law governing this question. In 1911
there were $50 suspected cases report
ed. Our records show that forty
six were under the age of years
and lightweight between the age of
and 10 years. Many of these chill
drens were marked and disfigured for
life by being bitten on the face by
vicious dogs. This is certainly a Sc
we're penalty inflicted on the children
because we must insist that dogs
must have freedom of the city and
there is no law governing the mat
ter. We are not even allowed to de-
mand that a dog be muzzled.
''The record for 1912 shows that 536
persons were treated and sought in
formation from the board. and the
present year promises to surpass
that number. 1t is a serious prob
lem and unless some action is taken
the outcome is matter Of conjec-
ture."