Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1917-07-07
TO PUNISH OFFICIALS AND DESTROY DOGS

Dog owners or some of them considerably worried
over the dog licensing law which is now in effect per-
usa of this rather unique production OF the legislative
brain will remove that worry Ear being liable to
punishment is concerned 1t peculiarly worded law
and while it was doubt intended to make dog owners
who did not take out license required under 1T liable
to ne it failed to do that especial thing Sections one
provides that after the taking effect Of the act there
shall be collected in certain counties annual license Zee
on all dogs the age of six months and fixes the sum-
discriminating in favor OF the female dogs by doubling
the fee on Them Section two outlines the duty OF the
constable each precinct who is made responsible for the
enforcement Of the law and provides the county clerk
shall furnish receipts and tags which the constable shall
deliver the dog when the license is paid Section
three provides the constable shall retain his commits
sion for collecting the license ten cent OF the sums
collected and outlines his other duties in connection with
the collection Sections four and five provide that own
OF sheep and other livestock including 1oWs small lie
a claim for damages with the county commissioners if
such livestock is damaged by dogs and states the aers
duties in the way of fixing the amount of damages and
drawing warrant in payment of the Section six
states the duties of the clerk and treasurer in the matter
of payment of these claims Section states when
the license shall become due and payable Section eight
provides that in the owner does not pay the license
fee after demand in writing is made by the constable
then the constable shall seize and destroy the said dog
unless redeemed in forty-eight hours. Section nine
makes exemptions and section ten provides rather
severe punishment for any of the officials violating any
of the provisions of the law 1t makes them liable to
fine of $50 for such violation There is nowhere any
duty prescribed for the dog owner is there any
punishment arranged for him. 1t is the right kind OF
law for Furnishes the officials if they neglect to enforce
it and let's the dog pass his part of the punish
ment up the dog which the law condemns to death
less the redeems him. It goes to the
extent of making the constable liable to fine of $50 if
he fails to collect his ten per cent OF the license money
for himself though this hardly necessary. There isl
not provision in the law that any except the officers
can possibly violate and this subject section ten says
"Any person violating any Of the provisions of this act
shall be deemed guilty Of msdemeanor and subject to al
fine not to exceed $50 by Imprisonment in the county
jail not to exceed twenty-five days. by both such fine
and Imprisonment 1t passes the buck up to the con-
stabe for under the law if he fails to out every
dog in the county, and collect the license kill the dog he
is liable to both fine and Imprisonment. 1t makes no.
provision for paying the constable for destroying the
dogs but presumably gives him instead commission Of
ten per cent of the harvest of dead dogs 1t is great
law and should stir the constabes to extraordinary
diligence AS far as its penalties are concerned it isl
about stand off between the constable and the dogs for
each gets it in the neck