The sun., 1918-11-08
DOGS OR SHEEP?
An Indictment Of the Cherished Pets
of Canine Lovers.

An indictment OF the NheEisHeu rus
Of Canine Lovers.
To THE EDITOR OF THE suN-Sir: There
have recently been published In THE
SUN several letters extolling dogs.
Dogs some Of them anyway, have
very admirable qualities. and they are
very lovable animals. They sometimes
save life and property. and they affoTd
great deal of pleasure to some per-
sons. But dogs also often destroy life
and property. and they cause great an
noyance to many persons, actual torture
often. by the noise they make and In
other ways. Many say that they cause
so much annoyance and injury In va
rlous ways that they should be got rid
OF altogether. Whether or not this
should be done depends. doubtless. upon
whether dogs do more good than harm
OF course there Is no way OF est'-
mating just how much harm and Just
how much good dogs do. but there are
certain facts which may enable people
to determine with sufficient accuracy
for ali practical purposes whether dogs
do more good than harm.
In the first place. dogs are a benefit.
IL to anybody, TO but a part Of the peo-
Pile. and in some places to but very
small parc, while they cause injury to
everybody. very serious injury to n
great many Dogs cause injury TO
everybody or practically everybody. by
killing sheep. thus increasing the price
and decreasing the supply OF mutton
ind wool ard depriving farmers OF
no a III
and ought TO make. Dogs inJure a
great number. perhaps every one or
nearly every one. by barking. by biting.
by destroying property and in other
ways.
In Farmers Bulletin No. 652 the
United States Department of Agricul-
ture says:
Sheep killing dogs are noe only recog-
n,z-d as the worst eAmies Of Eastern
flock masters at the present time, but are
known to be the principal cause OF so
marked a decrease In the number OF sheep
kept on farms.
Many persons say that II is solely be-
cause sheep are so likely to be killed by
dogs that a great many farmers, par
ticularly farmers IN the Eastern States,
do not keep sheep Raising sheep Is
beneficial in several ways 20 the public
as well as TO those who engage In 1t.
A conference was held a few days
ago in Washington between the wool
and woollen sections OF the War Indus
tries Board and representatives of the
trade at may now be definitely stated
that at present there is no wool avail
able for civilian al!ocntion.' II was an
nounced after the conference. When
the present stocks OF woollen cloth and
clothing are exhausted there will be no
wool available for the civilian popuia-
ton. That IS one OF the things that
mans best friend" has done for him
With the Arctic climate that We have
in the Northern States in winter.
wooilen clothing is absolutely necessary
to comfort and health.
Dogs cause injury TO health and IN
told misery by their barking, bowling.
believing and yelping. The noise that
dogs make is sleep destroyer and
nerve poison OF the very worst kind.
While there are dogs plenty every
where. they seem to be especially nu-
merous and noisy In those places that
are supposed to be the best for people
to go to get sound. undisturbed sleep
and rest for their faded nerves.
Nobody has any legal or moral right
20 benefit himself at the expense OF his
neiehbora Everybody Is under legal
obi gatians so to use his own as not 10
cause annoyance or injury TO others.
Wherever and by whomsoever kept, a
dog is practically certain to be a
nuisance in some way. and very likely
in many ways. to people In the VI
cinity. Dogs are ostensibly kept 70 pro-
tect life and property, and at one time
they were useful ana perhaps necessary
for this purpose, but now life and
property can be protected much more
effectively and much cheaper by>neans
OF locks and bars, burglar alarms and
other inventions, than by dogs, even the
best trained dogs Of the best breeds.
Most dogs are unframed and perhaps
untrainable mongrels without any USE
full or redeeming qualities except pos.
sibly that they ''are very afrectionate."
Being affectionate is>their only way Of
getting a living, and It is an easy one
too
Dog taxes do little TO abate the dog
nuisance and imposition. Most OF the
dog laws would do little good II en-
forced. and they are not enforced.
Any dog. unless so kept that II can
not cause annoyance or Injury. is
practically certain so to do by making
noise, by biting. by destroying prop
erty or in some other way. Anything
that is even likely to be annoying. Of
fensive or injurious ito those who in
the exercise Of legal right come within
Its sphere" is a public nuisance unless
| II Is necessary to the public convenience
or Is especially authorized by the
Legislature. Perhaps the best way II
not the only way to end the dog menace
and imposition as expeditiously as tho
circumstances require is for the author!-
ties to notify dog owners to so guard
their dogs that they cannot cause aa-
| nayance or injury in any way to other
people or get rid OF them, and then pro-
coed to prosecute those who fail to do
so or themselves get rid of all dogs NOT
70 guarded. ONWARD
NEW YORK, November 7.