The independent-reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1909-1955, 1924-07-17
Additional Reports Of Dogs CkasfTg
Deer

Reports continue to Come to the
Department of Inland Fisheries and
Came Of days chasing deer. :.
A CORRESPONDENT from, Ellsworth
complains of dog recently chasing a
deer through that town. The cor
respondent after giving the details
adds the following sentence at the
close of his letter: -
THE Legislature, iii my opinion,
should change this law In regard TO
dogs chasing deer"
from Sandy Point tStockton
Springs) comes another complaint:
81 am calling your attention again
10 dogs in this section being allowed
to run at large dttfng fhe summer
months. They are running deer and
rabbits. Since the End day Of July
two deer have crossed i field here
While. being chased by dogs. This
practice should not be allowed. The
parties owning the dogs i've at the
Point, as I understand. and should
take care of their pets" - -.
The Department OF Inland, FISHERIES
and Game In view Of letters Similar
to the above have had occasion re-
Gently to send formal notices to many
owners of dogs I'm cases where the
dogs nave been complained OF as
chasing deer. Undef the law, II a
doe is found chasing deer, after the
owner has received notice thai. said
dog has been chasing deer, the dog Is
not only liable to be Kff1ed by an Of
ffcer finding It in the act Of chasing
deer. but the owner rs subject to
severe penalty. .
In this connection attention is calf
ed to the Experience Of the State OF
Virginia as set forth IN a recent re-
mort from Col. W., Mcdonald Lee,
Commissioners of Game and Inland
FISHERIES of that State. Mr.. Lee,
VINO has studied the conservation Of
wild life for forty years. refers to the
virginia laws as pertaining to game
protection ais being about seven years
old. Prior to that time, he states,
that 1t was "freebooting anywhere
and everywhere.zWe had, been pro-
ceeding by sfipshod methods. We
could not get dog law until SIX
years ago, but we have that dog law
now down TO fine point. We kiff-
ed 1900 dogs in 1922 in Virginia
rowing, worthless ours.
"The Society for the Prevention or
Cruelty to- Animals has been on my
back for some time. These people
do not realize that such dogs wifi
kill sheep and break up nests; that
thew win often drag a ham from your
dinner table, as actually happened to
us one time after fox-hount. Inc
peopie do not realize that these dogs
running around the cities and the
country eating out OF rubbish cans,
living on refuse are subject to hydro
phobia. We have had only one case
Of hydrophobia or rabies In the State
In Is months, owing largely to the
dog law, prior to That there We're
many cases, we are trying to protect
the song birds; are making warfare
on English sparrows; are propagat-
ing quail for stocking our State; we
send out to our sanctuary with each
bantam mother Is or 20 little chick
whites. In no sanctuary is a
bird planted until IT Is first ascer-
tanned that the sanctuary mas been
clear ed OF all verInin; We must know
tfdre are no rowing dogs there; that
the pot hunters are under guard of
our wardens. Virginia has nearly
400 wardens, only also OF Whom are
on salary
More and more, people interested
m the conservation or game in the
state OF Maine are beginning to
realize what d mistake was made by
the last Legislature in amending the
dog law as ii did, and =. 1t is under
sfnSa thar concerted effort will be
made to change tffs law at the COM
ing session.