Evening star., 1927-08-15
To the Editor OF The Star {:

If one may say so without personal
oftense to Well-meaning correspond
ents, great deal of sentimental non
sense has been contributed recently To
your columns on the subject of strayad
or homeless dogs and cats. These con
stitute a real problem in any city,
which should be approached from the
common-senSe standpoint of human
health. comfort and economy, rather
than sentiment indulgence. AS the
Spring and early Summer is the chief
breeding season for such animals, and
the warm weather encourages their
presence outdoors, there are more of
them in evidence now. occasionally.
too, families to which dogs or cats
are attached leave for vacations,
trusting their pets to shift for them
selves. They cannot, of course, take
them all along. As a result the city
resembles Constantinople in certain
sections. being overrun with potential
pets that have become pests. Super
numerary and unattached animals of
this kind approach the classification
of vermin. They seriously menace the
safety of children. the public health
and the peace and comfort of resi-
dents.
The real fact is that the whole host
been allowed to be born. Their very
number and condition prove this. A
vigorous enforcement of the dog
licensing law, and enactment of a
similar licensing law for cats, also
vigorously enforced, would reduce the
numbers of dependent animals to- the
sensible limits of those actually kept
and treated as pets, eliminating the
nameleSS and numberless thousands
that infest a city the size of Washing
ton to it's cost, discomfort and annoy
anee at all times of the year Until
we become sensible enough to treat
this on the scientific basis 1t deserves
lat once the most humane basis both
from the human and the animal stand
point the city government Is not only
justified but absolutely compelled to
adopt the expedient of catching and
disposing Of the surplus, unlicensed,
unattached animal population.
Protest against the administration
Of such a necessary sanitary measure
is short.sighted, indeed. The letters
you have recently published on the
subject sound more like sentimental
orgies than thoughtful expressions OF
public interest. 1t would be interest
ing to know how many stray 'pets"
your correspondents have fed and
sheltered on their own premises. To
undertake such kindness" for
month would be to risk bringing dis
ease. filth, rabies, vermin and blood
poisoning from bites and scratches
into any home where children lived.
to make night hideous for neighbor-
hood and to end up with an amateur
zoo. And to what purpose? In the
end the "kind" preserver of such life,
tired Of purchasing food for her In
creasing horde, would be obliged her.
self to take the inevitable course of
turning the whole yowling collection
over to the protectors of our health
for painless determination. In only
the last step would such a person he
public benefactor, or, indeed, a friend
of animals.
Real lovers of animal life try to
preserve fine breeds. train and prop
erly keep their charges. They are
coming more and more to realize that
dogs do not belong in the modern
city, with it's apartment life and
crowded traffic, at all. They also
agree that cats are on the whole of
dubious merits as pets, because they
are intractable enemies Of all bird
life, are carriers Of disease to chill
dren, and are too prolific to be kept
WlttIlu Clty-LhS uONuuS. III duuut ~
per cent of the present dog and cat
population of Washington were elimi.
mated the remainder. comprised Of
pure-bred animals. well cared for.
trained and prevented from being a
public or private nuisance, would be
justified by real use and appreciation.
The expense in taxes of maintaining
a public pound and paid "dog-catch-
ers" could be saved. the Pasteur de-
partmentslof Our hospitals could shut
up shop, and perhaps sick people, the
aged, the tired people who need
nightly repose. might be able to en-
joy less disturbed sleep at night.
If this would be any unkindness to
our supernumerary animal popula-
ton, let us look at the human side
just once for a change.
MRS. EARLE c. MANNIx.