The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1916-12-30
COMMISSIONER PHELPS WOULD
 RESTRICT DOCS
Sheep Raising in Connecti cut at Mercy of Wander
 / ing Animals.

With 72,0O0 registered dogs in the state, hundreds of others unregis- tered and with fair prospect of a considerable increase during the com ing year, Jeffery o. Phelps, Jr., com missioner on domestic animals, said yesterday it was time to call a halt on dog freedom in Connecticut. His statement was made in connection with the recent outbreak of rabies in the southwestern part of Connecti- cut. The commissioner believes the sit uation serious and urges that all dogs in the state be restricted to their owners premises. He also advocated the killing of strange dogs by the proper authorities.
 MT. Phelps pointed out the fact that sheep raising in Connecticut had fail- ed owing to the large number of dogs in the state. The sheep raising iri- dustry, which could be made a profit able one in Connecticut is entirely at the mercy of the dogs, said the commissioner, who believes the dog problem in connection with the sheep question should be brought up before the coming session of the General Assembly. N-
 '"The only thing to do at the pres ef1t time," said the commissioner, lis to restrict all dogs to their owners s premises. There are too many strange dogs wandering around in the state It seems a pity that the sheep indus try is at the mercy of any strange logs wandering about. The hill land aof the state could be profftab1y used for sheep raising if dogs were kept at home. I believe if owners were forced to keep their dogs on their premises and made responsible for damages the dogs cause, the number of canfnes in this state would de- crease remarkably. Under present conditions sheep are unable to live and thrive, and sheep faisers have lost heart. \ If dogs are to continue their freedom, sheep raising in Com necticut will be wiped out altogeth- CT.
 1T would compel every man who owns dog to keep 1t SD confined on his premises that it will be unable to invade. another mans property. The seriousness of this dog question is generally recognized. Governor Hol- comb, himself, has commented upon it and I understand some measure will be brought before the Legislature in an effort to remedy the condition
 The situation regarding rabies is considered serious in the southwest ern part of the state. Outbreaks of rabies have been reported from New Haven, >Hamden, Danbury, Ridgefeld, Naugatuck, Middlebury and points adjacent to New York state. In Westchester county, New York. out breaks have also been reported, but it is question if the trouble originat- ed in the adjoining state.
 The most serious outbreak in Con- nectieut during the past few days occurred ifl Hamden last Saturday night, when a dog affected with rabies attacked two men and a girl and kill ed nearly two score of chickens be- fore it was finally put to death by al posse headed by the town constable The girl bitten is in a dangerous con- dition and has already displayed symptoms of hydrophobia. A seri- ous outbreak has also been reported from Naugatuck. The laboratory of lxhe state board of health is studying several dogs heads which were ship ped recently from the scenes of the Outbreaks.