The Birmingham age-herald., 1918-08-08
PLENTY OF LAW TO
 GET RID OF ALL
 THE USELESS OURS
Every Deputy or Constable Is Entitled to Fifty Cents for Each of the Ours
 He Kills

get rid of the sheep-kllllng dog in Jefferson county.
 Mr.. Hewitt is a member of the board of revenue, has lived in Jefferson county all his life and knows the county's hills and dales like a book.
 "With our boys struggling
 over there, it is our duty here
 at home to produce as much
 food and clothing as we can and
 to save that which we do pro-
 duce," said MT. Hewitt. "Jef-
 ferson county is ideally situated
 for the raising of sheep and
 goats. I doubt if there is an
 other county in the United States
 that is it's equal for this purpose
 in climate, water, hills and the
 general environment in which
 these animals thrive.
 "The ye"ow cur dog is the only menace-the only thing that is keep ing this county from producing thou sands of both sheep and goats. These mangey no-account dogs roam the county at will. They apparently have no owners. They are good for nothing on earth. They can get into a flock of sheep or goats and slaughter them so fast as to discour- age any f. rmer from ever again try ing to raise sheep or goats.
 MEN HAVE TRIED HARD
 T know men who have tried hard to raise these fiocks. They have even placed guards around their farms to keep these dogs out at night But in spite of them the CUTS get in and play havoc.
 'I think we have reached a point in this country where we ought to get rid of these dogs, thus setting anl ex- ample for the other counties oftthe state. Just as soon as we get rid of them Alabama is going to become an important sheep-raising state But nothing can be done until we solve the dog problem.
 "The only way to solve this dog
 problem is to kill the trespassing
 dogs. We have plenty of laws to
 handle the situation. X dog cannot
 be mOlested ns long us 1t is nc-
 CUAhPuhASu Oy ItS Or owner
 but when the animal k alone he
 cnn he made short work of. Any
 sherin, deputy, or constable Is not
 only authorized to kill such ani-
 maj. but he is paid 5O cents out of
 the dog fund of the county for
 cnch one he kills. I would like to
 see our officers get busy and earn
 whole basket full of this money.
 hnve nothing to say about the
 bOnifde dog whose owner takes
 some pride in him md does not
 allow him to rOnm the country mt
 will It is the stray waif. the dng
 thnt has the whole county for his
 home thnt we ought to kill.
 T regard this as a very important war measure. Not only will the sheep we can raise in this county produce a lot of wool but the mutton and goats will add enough to our meat supply to pay us abundantly for our efforts in getting rid of the dogs. With our boys fighting for us in France we at home ought not to be bluffed by lot of yellow dogs"
 PROVISIONS OF LAW MT. Hewitt was asked to prepare a summary of the state laws bearing on this subject. This summary shows the following interesting facts:
 
 son willfully allowing dog belong ing t. or in his control which he has |. good reason to believe has been bitten by a rapid dog to run at large within six months thereafter, on conviction, 7 must be fineG not less than $50 nor more than $500 Section 6236, criminal code: Any per son owning or in control of any dog known to worry or kill sheep goats, or domestic fowls who suffers such dog to run at large must on conviction, be fined not less than 8 nor more than s50. Section 2471. civil code: If any dog not being at the time on the premises of the owner or person having charge \ thereof shall kill or injurc apy live I stock, the owner or person having such dog in charge shall be liable for damages and full costs.
 Acts legislature 1915. page 599, sec ] lion 1, provides for license or privilege tax of $1 per year on all dogs oyer fou5 old Sections 2 and provide 10 indemnity losses by killing or in- turing sheep or other live stock by logs. Section provides for damagea 10 person or property against person owning or harboring dog. Section 6, Any person who shall keep or harbor l dog on his premises or elsewhere l and who fails or refuses to pay the license tax when due shall be fined not exceeding s5 for each offense, and i! judgment may include an order requir- i ns dog to be killed. It shall be the l luty of the sheriff and his deputies md each constable in his district t. <ill any dog, the owEer of which has 'ailed or refused to pay license tax on ;ame without order from the court. 1 His fee to be 50 cents paid out of tho log fund. Acts 1915. page 253. provides that it l shall be teh duty of every person own i ng or having in charge any dog to at 1 Ill times confine such dog or dogs to he limits of his own premises or the premises on which such dog or dogs are 'egularly kept.
 Providing that nothing in this act | hall be the duty of every person own 1 IT of any dog or dogs or other person | laving such dog or dogs in his charge | o accompany such owner or person i elsewhere than on the premises or place | vherc regularly kept. Penalty for vio- ation not less than $2 nor more than 30 This act does not apply 70 dogs