Evening star., 1925-11-29
animal REST FARM
INMATES P|T|ABLE
Inquiry Reveals That Many
of Dogs Are Sick, Under
fed and III Cared For. }

With the laudab desire to provide
in the BE Kind to Animals Rest
| Farm" near Potomac, Md. refuge
for animals and a retreat where old
dogs, cats and horses might end their
! days in peace. the Humane EIduca-
ton Society of the District has en-
countered difficulties which prompt
! the belief by some lovers of animals
that the purpose OF the undertaking
| has been frustrated Whether the
| condition which exists there today Is
| due to poor management. overlapping
authority or lack of funds is a ques-
| ton for those in authority to decide.
/ but the animals themselves have be
! come victims rather than beneficiaries
| of the kindness. according to an in
vestigation by The Star.
| Photographs OF scenes about the
| farm which were turned in by stan
photographer We're TOO revolving, in
! the majority of cases. to Justify their
! reproduction.
Too Weak to Stand.
Two photographs. however, which
| are used in connection with this art-
| Gle, illustrate the pitia bic condition or
| some dogs. selected from the more
than l4O animals kept at the place.
One Of them Is SO emaciated from dis
ease or lack OF food that he can hardly
stand.
The other photograph shows some
puppies. They do not run and scam
per and play as puppies usually 90.
Instead, they either lie still or whine
feebly. Many already suffer from the
mango.
One dog posed for Il photograph by
pitifully raising himself on his fore
legs. then slumping TO the floor. He
could not stand. Another picture was
taken of a dog that had been kicked
by q horse. the injury causing
paralysis OF his hind quarters. He is
allowed to drag himself around the
place by painful movement or MS
forelegs the rear OF his body helpless:
II ia a question whether the ends or
mercy would best be met by either
shooting him or curing him. Nom
ing, apparently. Is being done fH' him
now on the BE Kind to Animals hest
Farm"
Most Nearly Starved.
This condition does not apply TO all
Ne the animals. Some or them SINe
he appearance of being well ted. bui
The majority are weak. enacl.tteu III
appearance. and give every indlCa'ion
of being rayenously hungry. Many
VI them are afflicted with disgusting
skin diseases. Dogs were seen lying
in their kennels covered with scars
and the ravages Of the mango. one
dog lay on a back porch of the mouse
and could only be moved when plcRed
up and carried. The star reporter
was told that he lay this way In the
rain and in the cold Their nedlcal
treatment consists of an appilcation
of sulphur once or twice a week, ac-
cording to Mrs. Sarah Faulkner. VINO
has been in charge Of the place for
about a year. but who. according TO
officials of the society, has been re
nuested to leave. She refuses, now
ever, to do So Mrs. Faulkner charged
that the dogs, until the last few
weeks, were fed one pound OF meat
each every four or i've days. and that
they were dying at the rate OF three
or four a week. This statement Is not
set down here as a fact. however, as
Mrs. Faulkners charges were denied.
According to Aldrich Butt. who has
been retained by the society TO do the
work heretofore done by Mrs. Faulk-
ner, the dogs are given pound or
cooked meat one day and mixture OF
broth or bread the next day.
Howl Themselves Thin
Mrs. Faulkner accuses Mr.. Butt OF
being responsible for the condition or
the animals. but the latter counters
have improved since he took over the
work at the farm and that their con
ditfon is due to neglect by Mrs. Faux
ner. Questioned as to the apparently
emaciated condition of the dogs, MIR.
Butt explained: :,
"Some of these dogs just naturally
howl themselves thin
Mr., Butt lives on q farm adjoining
the animal farm. He says he does not
like the work and wants to give 1t up.
He says he has done everything he
can for the animals with the facilities
at hand.
Mrs Faulkner says he comes to the
farm once a day and cleans the ken
nels and feeds the animals. He cleans
up, Mrs. Faulkner charges, only
when he's expecting visit from some
member of the Humane Education So
ciety." She charges he Is cruel to the
animals. but Mr. Butt denies this
charge and counters with one to the
effect that Mrs. Faulkner threatened
to have him arrested and made other
threats ii he came around the farm.
Nrs. Faulkner said she did not want
the conditions to become generally
known for fear the sheriff Of Mont
gomery County would come to the
farm and shoot the animals to put
them out of their misery.
Helpless Animals Victims.
Meanwhile. regardless of who is to
blame, the animals are the innocent
victims The house on the farm is
in a deplorable state, and its interior
is hard TO describe. Mrs. Faulkner
says she sometimes keeps as many as
80 dogs in the house with her. They
roam through it's rooms and are not
allowed the freedom of the outdoors
except upon occasion. She says she
leeds them herself with scraps from
the table.
Farmers in the surrounding terri
tory say that the farm, which includes
some fifty acres, could be made to pro-
duce enough to care for the animals
and to provide them with their ne
cessities. But none of the farm Is cul.
tivated The food IS brought from
Washington.
James ?. Briggs, president of the
society, is known to be a lover of ami
mails and his position as a leader
among those who advocate humane
treatment for animals is unquestion-
ed The mere fact that he mort
gagged his own home to borrow s4,5Oo
to spend on the farm is indication
that he is willing to make personal
sacrifices for the good Of animals.
Mr.. Briggs and those associated with
him have more than once sponsored
cases in Police Court against men
caught using whips on horses or mules
or otherwise mistreating animals.
Spent $4,000 in Year.
He has complained of lack Of funds
for support Of the animal rest farm
undertaking but he declared yester