The Canon City record with which is consolidated the Canon City cannon., 1918-07-11
HOW DOG LOVERS
CAN SAVE SHEEP
Owners Of CANNES Can Aid by
Supporting Fair State Laws
Regulating Menace.
BIG HINDRAncE TO INDUSTRY
Most Serious Loss 10 Fact That Farm
ers Are Kept From Enpasing in
Sheep Business-pss-Proof
Fences Described.

Thousands OF sheep are ruthlessly
killed every year by dogs The none
tary loss Of more than n million dollars
year to sheep owners does not cover
the most serious aspect of the damage.
The fact that the dog mennce keeps
many farmers from engaging In the
sheep business, even at this time when
there are urgent demands for more
wool and meat, Is the most serious
result which may be attributed to
sheep-kllling dogs. Specialists of the
United States department of agricul-
tu:e are urging efficient state legisla-
lion rs one of the best ways to ceal
with the sheep-killing dog problem.
Dog-proof fences also are described
and advocated in y recent publication
Of the department Of agriculture deal
ing with this subject. The Sheep-kiu-
ing Dog Farmers Bulletin 935.
Hindrance to Industry.
That dogs are real hindrance TO
the sheep industry Is not only ac-
claimed by the Testimony Of thousands
OF sheep owners but IL verified by
actual conservative statistics. An In
vestigation by the United States de-
partment Of agriculture among sheep
owners In Is states east Of the Rocky
mountains shows That out of total
Of 6.s36. 49, sheep in the J02 counties
reporting. 34.6s3 were killed by dogs
in one year-1913-and paid for by the
counties. At the same rate OF loss In
other farm stntes the total annual de-
strrction of sheep by dogs would be
1O7.1 .16O head But these figures are
based only upon the number actually
paid for, and specialists ot the Emitted
States department Of agriculture say
1t Is more than probable That the true
LOSSES far exceed this. 1t is known that
many sheep are killed which are never
reported to the county officials.
Sheep-killIng dogs work both singly
and in groups. hut usually In twos or
threes. They do not limit their nt-
tacks to the fiocks OF the Immediate
vicinity in which they are kept, but
travel for miles In all directions.
spreading destruction in the fiocks
with which they. come In contact. BE-
cause their work Is No often done un-
der cover of darkness II is almost Inn
possible 10 catch them In the act OF
worrying sheep. hence they can seldom
be positively identified. The ways In
which different dogs attack and de-
stroy sheep vary greatly. Some dogs
simply kill one or two In flock,
while others continue to attack until
all the sheep are either destroyed or
crippled. In many eases where large
numbers are killed they are neither
bittpn nor wounded but simply chased
until they die from exhaustion. After
a dog has once formed habit OF kill
Ing sheep 1t seemingly becomes n
mania with him and he is seldom. II
ever, broken Of 1t. He not only de-
sfroys sheep himself but leads other
dogs to the work. No consideration
should be given such dogs they should
be killed MS soon us their habits are
known.
RehabIiItatino Industry.
The hesirnbIlity Of maximum In
crease In the number OF sheep is gen.
orally admitted md steps now are
being taken toward q rehabilitation Of
the sheep Industry. But it - recog-
nfxed that one OF the most effective
means Of insuring the farmer = pront
on sheep II to make and enforca laws
which adequately protect the farmers
dock, but In most Of the Dtxte1 the
crescent dog laws faii II thslr psfDoss.