The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1918-04-11
Putting Fido on a String.

FuCLlug E1u0 on a SLTlng.
The State Board of Agriculture CO.
operating with the State Board of
Health has taken Fidon out of
politics.
With ruthlessness which is char
acteristic of state boards is has handed
down an edict that dog is not only a
nuisance to a lot Of people but that
dogs in certain of the lake shore
counties of Wisconsin have become a
menace. The state boards did not
take this matter up with the common
council Of Kenosha, Racine or Milwau
kee. It gave an intelligent study to
conditions in these and other counties
and then it just laid down the law
that the only way to get rid of the
dog menace was to muzzle the CANNES
or get rid of them. The state has
gone at the dog question in way that
lis convincing. It should be most con-
vincing to the. owners Of dogs who
happen to also be the parents of chill
dren. It does not make frantic ap-
peal to kill off the dogs or muzzle
them without knowing what it is talk
ing about. It submits this fact.
r. Since the first of January thirty seven
cases of hydrophobia have been dis
covered in the territory covered by
the order. Some Of these cases have
brought terrible death to children.
Ususally they were not the children
of the owners of the dogs.
These men who study conditions
know just as well as lot Of alder
men that the dog is the poor man s
best friend. They know that lot
| of poor men have lot of hungry dogs
about eating the food which should
be given to the children. They have
considered the matter from every angle
and believe that the children are worth
more than the dogs.
Of course there is going to be the
usual tendency on the pert Of execu-
tive officials in cities like Kenosha to
over look the enforcement of the or
der.
They are going to think more Of the
lap dog of some woman than they do
of the lives of the children but the
state has given out the word that it
is going to enforce this order to the
letter.
The state should have the support
!! of every dog owner and of every child
parent. If a man wants to keep a
dog there is no objection to his keep
ing it. If a woman wants to lavish
her affection on it she may go right
ahead but with the understanding that
the affection is to be of the muzzled
kind.
The order should have a excellent
effect in cleaning up the dog popula
ton. 1t, should also make this por-
tion of Wisconsin a lot safer place for
the children.
We are not interested in the sug-
gestion that the dog affected with
rabies might bite the wild animals and
bring about the extinction Of the
species We could get along without
most of the wild animals but we want
to save the tame children.
The order of the state boards is bas-
ed on reasonable study Of conditions
The men who want to reason can
not object to it. The other kind of
men are not entitled to great deal
of consideration.
The enforcement Of the order in
Kenosha may seriously reduce the
amount of money to be paid annually
to the Police Pension Fund. Even with
this condition staring. US in the face
We are for the order. We do not be-
Heve that police officers want their
funds for pensions built up on the dis
fgurement of little children and if nee
essary appropriation may be made
from the general fund Of the city to
the pension fund rather than to have
it increased at the cost of the lives of
children.
The good dog will be just as good
with a muzzle on. The bad dog and
the mad dog will be lot, safer with
a muzzle on and the dog which will
not bear the restraint which the state
has placed must pay the penalty for
being out % touch with the advance
r.ent of science.
It is not a question Of sentiment
any more. It is question Of law
The state has made the law and Ken
esha in common with all other coltn
ties in the district covered by the or.
der must enforce it.