The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1917-06-19
Attempts to Revive Sheep In
dustry In New England
Hampered by Dogs.

Attempts to revive the sheep in
dustry in New England in recent
years have been met with the SEEM
ingly insurmountable obstacle of the
dog nuisance. Dog laws there. have
always been, and the farmer has had
the right to kill any dog caught
worrying or killing sheep. The states
have also assumed the responsibility
for losses incurred by farmers from
this menace.
But there have been two difficulties
that have made dog laws ineffective.
In the first place it is not an easy
matter to discover what dog has done
the damage. The sheepkilling dog
usually works at night when the
farmer has no means of protecting
his flock, except with expensive &og
fences. Further. when the damage
is paid by the state, the amount re-
covered by the farmer seldom equals
the actual loss sustained. The profit
in raising such farm stock as sheep
and hogs comes from carrying the
animals through to maturity. If sheep
are killed when young, therefore, the
farmer is paid according to the value
at such time, and he loses the incre-
rnent he would obtain were the lambs
to be kept until they became more
profitable to dispose of.
Awakened by the absolute neces-
sity of increasing the food supply Of
the nation, there has been a strong
revival of the agitation in New Eng
land and other eastern states to enact
more stringent dog laws and to en-
force those already in existence. Both
Connecticut and New York have
- ef,. To l11ri r he
past two months. The New York law
is considered exceptionally effective
as it places almost unlimited pawer in
the hands Of the Commissioner of Ag-
ricu1ture to regulate dogs. Connects
cut has increased the tax on female
dogs, but otherwise rejected all pro-
posaIs for more stringent regulation.
In some respects the enforcement
of dog laws is similar to the enforce
ment, Of trespassing laws. The rail-
ways have found that. even in such
states where there are stringent laws
against trespassing it is difficult to OBJ
tain convictions because of general
lack of appreciation of the perfls Of
trespassing Sheep farmers have also
found that it is difficult to prevent
damages to their sheep by dogs be-
cause public opinion has not been
aroused to the economic loss and
damage Of such depredations.
It is recognized by agricultural ex-
perts that the most progress will be
made when all farmers again become
sheep raisers, even though 1t only be
to the extent Of few animals. They
will then see the necessity of protec-
ton and present laws may prove suf-
ficiently effective through. rigid en-
forcement.
The dog is a pet, and is frequently
considered a mans best friend. The
loss of a dog is consequently a per-
sonal loss that is more felt than the
loss of any other type of animal. The
young dog. however, is peculiarly sub
ject to discipline. He can be trained
in innumerable ways, even to caring
and watching flock of sheep. II
this practice of training farm dogs
were more seriously undertaken the
damage to sheep would be materially
lessened. It is often careless breeding
and more careless ownership that per-
mits dog to run wild.
The revival Of the sheep industry
! in New England Is essential to the
promotion and development Of New
England Agriculture and anything
that prevents such a revival should be
corrected without delay. The dog
nuisance is the principal rearding in
fuence at present, but it can be cor
rected by practical ca-opersS1Nu