The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1918-12-06
THE DOG PROBLEM.
A Long Indictment Of Mans -Four
Footed Friend.


Footed Friend.
To THE EDITOR OF THE SuN---Sr \.
Dudley Mills says that II Is only the
sheep killing dog that Farmers Bulletin
652 refers to and that there are COM
paratively few OF these but In this pub
lication OF the United state Department
OF Agriculture II Is stated (page 81 that
the dog does not live with such good
blood in his veins but what will develop
into n sheep killing dog IL given an
opportunity" AS there lie no way OF
knowing what dogs will kill sheep and
what will not the only practicable way
to furnish sheep adequate protection
against dogs Is TO get rid OF all dogs not
80 kept that they cannot injure sheep.
Notwithstanding the assertion OF Mr..
Mills to the contrary I think 1t IL true
that practically all dogs are nuisances
IN some way. All dogs bark, most OF
them where they can be heard by many
people. The barking of dog keeps
many persons awake and causes great
discomfort II Rot positive torture TO
many when they do not want to sleep
as we'll as when they do. think II is
the next thing to absolute certainty that
any dog, unless indeed its life IL very
brief. will be n nuisance 10 some one
and probably to many by barking alone.
Any dog. or almost any dog. IL also
, likely to make itself a nuisance by Bit
ing by injuring gardens. lawns, useful
, domestic animals and other property.
and in other ways.
The only way to afford human beings
adequate protection against dogs ia TO
get rid OF all dogs except those so kept
that they cannot annoy or injure people
Nv barking. by biting. by destroying
property o: in any other way.
In theory people can get protection
against dogs by complaining to the
Board OF Health or to the police, but
practically they can't In many cases
II Is impossible or practically impossible
TO find out whose dog is annoying or in
juring you. For Instance, to locate a
dog that keeps you awake you might
have 10 swim river o. lako a mile
wide or go through woods or swamp
In the night time that you would fnd
IL difficult or impossible TO get through
in the day time without scratching out
your eyes or suffering other injury. In
a city you may not be able to ind out
who keeps a barking dog without cun-
ming the risk OF being arrested as
I trespasser or shot as burglar. And
! II you ind out who keeps a barking dog
you may not be able TO get rid of II for
tho owner may swea: II never banks
/ and his family md friends will probably
coroborate his testimony.
3 Dogs may be Of some benent TO their
owners, hut one person has no right
to benefit at the expense of some other
( person or persons.
/ II Is OF vast Importance TO the public
that the supply OF meat and wool be In
creased It Is also of vast Importance
that people get plenty OF sound. undls-
turbed sloep. which dogs to a large ex-
tent prevent them from getting II is
not important to people to keep dogs,
and as It is practically impossible for
( most persons TO keep a dog so that it
( Will rot cause annoyance or injury to
other people II seems to me that with
tho exception OF those Of proved neces-
| slty o. value. such as the dogs kept in
the Arctic for transportation purposes
and trained sheep dogs kept where such
dogs can be utilized to advantage, all
dogs should 60.
There is such scarcity OF food in the
world Il seems certain millions OF people
viii die OF starvation before the food
supply can be adequately Increased I
fee quite sure that three dogs will con-
sumo enough food to keep a human
being from starving and / am inclined
to think that two Will do so. Therefore
for every three dogs and probably for
every two dogs We get rid OF n human
being can be saved from starvation.
Dogs. utterly worthless dogs. most OF
them. consume vast amount OF food
and the kind OF food of which the world
Is especially short just now. was told
recently OF o'e woman who feeds IS
worth OF meat n week to her dog. 1t
us supposed that dogs are fed with food
that would he wasted but there Is no
excuse for wasting any food
People who viii not willingly get rid
Of their dogs 10 prevent human beings
from suffering from lack of food should
De fo:ced so TO do. AMERICAN.
NEW YORK, December 5.