Norwich bulletin., 1922-02-14
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
Domestic Animals and the COMMISSIONS,

domestic Animals and the Commissioner
Mr. Editor: In the Norwich Bulletin
of Jan. IS, J. NJ Whittlesey, commission
er of domestic animals. gives an interpre-
tation of the dog law.
have always sun)osed this drastic
law was only to be observed when town
was under Quarantine Under this law a
licensed dog unacco1panied by the own
er, found off the owners premises is lust
as liable to seizure as an unlicensed deg so
why pay tax of SIPS to SI025 per
year; which is more than is paid in many
cases on 100 acres Of land?
We must remember that dog owners
are paying to the government for dog
tax approximately $4,000 a year.
1t was also stated in The Bulletin of
Jan. 26 that the commissioner had killed
in the year of 1921 $4,000 dogs; for which
received So for each dog killed. This
amouts to $4,000. This money is sup
posed to go to the sheep raisers but We
find that 1t goes to the dog catchers.
There Is also an unknown number of
dogs seized by the dog Ca tcher that are
afterwards redeemed by the dog owners at
So each and then there are the sa' es
This all together should net about $780,
600 year. This is not very bad fer the
lowly officers of dog catcher.
1t is not to be wondered at that these
officers are On the job first last AMI all
the time or that they are highly com
mended by their chief.
But to think We dog owners are paying
this good money to have our dogs killed
While we have been thinking II was to be
| used TO reimburse sheep owners for
damage done by dogs to their sheep, the
idea of where the money was to go seems
to have misca rried
A few years ago our high grade cattle
that were we'll along in years were at
tackled with hoof and mouth disease 4
large number Of herds were killed an6
many thousands of dollars were paid tc
| the owners. The conditions got 10 be
alarming financially until a veterinary
| who possessed more honor and knowledge
than the others who had been employed
| told US through The Bulletin that it wa,
not hoof and mouth disease at all tnat
their condition was caused by the unsani
tary condition of their stable and strang,
| to say. this imnediI'el cured every cast
Of hoof and mouth disease in the state.
For some time it has been pu5lishe,
and shouted through New England tina
| 25 per cent of Connecticut cattle are tn
| bercular. If the state is goirg to buy l.
of our cattle this means more business
~ For cA7l t&'ioner. This sloutiri
| hoof and mcutn disease, mad deg, tn
I
| ers. They are now producing more mill
| than they cen sell of course, no on
| wants to use diseased milk. We have ha,
the mad dog scare and it has been state,
| that nearly 200 PEOPLE have been bitten b,
| rabid dogs in the last three or four years
! This epidemic of rabies seemed to he o
a mild form as ralod dogs bite from ihre
to five times as many cattle and horse
as they do people. There is no known cur
for the disease but as yet I have not hear,
of any dumb animals dying from rabies
1t is also stated that the commissions
is going to enforce his dog rule, a.
through the state TO allay the fears of tn
sheep raisers. IF he works the rules ju
diciously, there will be about 100000 il
sight for the comm iesioner and his depu
ties
There are about e5, 900 dog owners an
about 500 sheen raisers. 1t is doubtful
We receive more than s10o in taxes fror
our sheep.
When Mr. WV1ittlesey took office Their
were over $4,000 sheep in the state, nov
there are only 10000
The reason farmers do not raise sheep /
that it will raise the valuation of thei
land and they do not receive enoug
money for the wool to make it an Offset
We haive several farmers in the tow
who have kept sheep for years and hav
never had sheep killed by dogs.
It has been asked several times In Til
Bulletin, Which are we to have Dogs O
; Sheep" If the dog law is not repealed
is very evident we shall have neithe
dogs nor sheep 1t is also evident we al
putting our money into a losing propC
sition to enrich a few dog catchers
The commissioners of domestic anirna
; instead Of encouraging the raising of III,
/ stock have devoted their energies to e,
terminating the domestic animals and W