Evening star., 1928-09-10
Name of Rescue League
Declared a Deception
To the Editor of The Star:

1 nave TedQ WlCI1 CONSIDERABLE lltSIcoI
and surprise the letters to The Star in
the controversy over the methods of
the District Animal Rescue League,
stressing the surprise over the letters in
their defense. The very name Of this
institution is a deception. In the face
of the wholesale killing that takes place
there daily (See the Animal Rescue
Leagues annual report for overwhelming
number), it would seem that the term
slaughter House." as was given 1t re-
Gently in the Washington papers, Is
more fitting.
Correspondence on the subject, for
or against, public or private, or other
form of propaganda, gets nowhere and
cannot establish in the mind OF the
public actual existing conditions and
methods there, nor can it inculcate ex-
acting humaneness. or correct lrregu-
larities in connection with it. Hence
merely unending argument to no pur-
pose while countless animals go to their
death, "humanely" or otherwise, which
is camouflaged at the league by the
palliating term, putting to sleep
Only by personal investigation OF a
thorough nature, penetrating into the
lethal receSseS and other secret places,
can this be correctly determined. OF
course, there are some who have a 1alSe
conception of what constitutes cruelty,
and prefer not to recognize 1t where
or when it exists.
Like H. w. Luce in a letter in The
Star of Friday the writer, together with
friends and acquaintances, has hao
dealings with the league, both In leaV-
ing there lost and strayed animals
with sad results and securing pets
40
save them from death more or less hor-
rible, but with very different impress
sions. Many have experienced the
shock of finding out, when calling for
lost pets, that they had already been
killed, and once in a while killed
pets have forgivingly returned to their
erstwhile oWners
That there Is a surplus population
in the city of dogs and cats is undoubt-
edly true But this is also the case OF
human beings-from infants to adults
that are not killed, but for whom
abundant institutions exist for their
protection and care.
But the animals must be made to
suffer the death penalty for no other
reason than being born! And this by
the same law of nature as mankind
itself! In the absence of proper animal
homes, and equally necessary animal
clinics in the District, private citizens
are obliged to take stray dogs and cats
into their homes, and when necessary
assume expense for veterinary aid. l
know of private homes where several
dogs are harbored. These kind people
are left no other choice to save them
from being murdered at the league or
sacrificed in other horrible manner
(vivisectional experiments, for inStance)
at the pound. In this connection it
is noteworthy that horses when stricken
with ailments that are durable have to
be shot in order to get them off the
streets, there being in the District only
a dead wagon-a properly equipped am
bulance being an unknown as well as
unheard-of quantity.
While the situation in Washington in
regard to lost and abandoned animals
is very deplorable and needs effective
and efficient means of relief, it does
not constitute such a difficult prob
lem, in spite of the indifference of Con-
gress that has neither interest, time
nor thought for anything pertaining to
the Districts mere animals, for well
or woe.
How can any kindhearted and think
ing human being consider as humane
the stunning of dogs with electricity,
after which they are thrown into water
vats to more effectively finish the job,
so to speak? Or to chloroform cats by
packing them into the chloroform boxes
(these not, sometimes, fully charged),
the living on top Of the dead? Con-
ceive these unfortunate animals when
on their last journey to still more
horrible goal. falling out on the way
side, where they are reSuScitated by the
fresh air and become vagrants anew,
or are picked up as pets, or find their
way back to their homes? One cat
that the writer knows of met with such
a narrowing experience not less than
three times! After the third it was al
lowed to remain with its owners.
According to the rules at the league
all female dogs must be killed. Full of
confidence they patiently wait while the
electric collar is slipped on, their feet
placed in water and then-the stun
ming current.
To thinking mind it is rather the
fault of civilization that such condi-
tions exist and are tolerated, and, there
fore, seemingly its duty to see to it
that proper places are instituted for
animals shelter and protection, with
means for the prevention of prodigal
and unwanted propagation instead of
wanton destruction of life that with
some becomes a sort of fanaticiSm or
complex. To this end there are sew
eral practical courses feasible.
With the quickening of human intel
lect combined with feeling the rights
OF animals will become more and more
respected. but in the meantime it is
to be hoped that the kind and think
ing people Of Washington will come to
the front for their protection.
l. NJ. SOMERVILLE,