Fitzgerald leader enterprise and press., 1921-06-06
THE MENACE OF THE STRAY DoG-A

dreadful thing happened in Fitzgerald yesterday.
little boy, curly headed and handsome the
pride OF loving parents, the light and inspiration
of happy home died the most horrible death
human being can die, in the convulsons OF hydro
phobia He was just laughing prattling little
hve-year old boy when he died What might he
have been had he lived? His heredity was good,
he had all the prospects in the world of growing
into good and useful citizen, a benefit to his
But he is dead, the victim of NANCY. no
account, homeless friendess cur dog. dirty
beast that wasn't worth the price of a license tap
has snufted out life that was priceless the life
OF human being. And such way to die!!
1t ws pet puppy that bit the child But il
was stray mongrel that gave the rabies to the
puppy An unhappy, stray cur who for his own
sake as well as the sake of humanity had better
been killed eer his teeth grew sharp enough to
gnaw bone
Every summer for years passed, the Leader has
appealed for enforcement OF all the laws on the
statute books aimed to protect children from rabd
dogs The Leader has asked that dogs be muz-
zled or held leash and that all dogs not so kept
be killed. The Leader has warned that some day
some child would be sacrificed on the altar OF the
sentimentality that restrans officers OF the law
from carrying out their duty in clearing the land
OF the menace of the stray dog The Leader. as
have all good citizens, has hoped that its warn
ings OF danger would never be justified in this
community by the loss of innocent human life
But today they have been justified, and in an
awful way. A little cold still body, its muscles
drawn in pain, lies in little white coffin under
the sod this afternoon in mute testimony to the
danger of the stray dog. Perhaps in the wisdom
of the power that directs all things, this sweet
child died for purpose, to stimulate and com
mand the interest of all good people in protecting
all other children from the menace in black ant
and tan that stalks our alleys and sinks through
our streets and highways. Shall this sacrifice
have been in vain? Shall the menace be tolerated
Shall your child, or your neighbor's child be thu
next victim for the fangs of a rahid beast? o.
shall you see to it that your child or your neigh
boris child is protected from danger of such hor
ribe death? 1t is up to you. You are the public
What you want you may have. Policemen an,
sheritfs are your servants they hired to d.
what you want them to do and nothing more
You people who own dogs and love them 70
their loyalty and devotion, this is your tigh, a
well as the fight of those who love children |
your dog is worth its keep. it is worth protectn:
against the vicious homeless beast that roams tn
streets subject to every disease and distemper
If your dog is worth owning. it worth keeping il
a kennel, or on leash or muzzled as protection
to itself and to the children 1t is your duty t.
protect your property by seeing that the worth
less unowned dogs are extermnated Nothin,
less will avail They must be exterminated
There are sentimentalists in this communit,
who will weep large salty tears over the "srffer
ngs OF the muzzled dog, and the hardships O
W OF the leash There are thouphtless neonle ,uh