The Waterbury Democrat., 1931-07-24
THEN IS A HAIR DRESSER NOT A BARBER?|
VICIOUS DOCS A
 PUBLIC MENACE If They Are Not Restrained People Will Have to
 GO Armed POLICE SHOULD ACT

Vicious dogs are becoming menace on the city streets. All cases where dogs have attacked people are not reported to the city court, but it does seem that enough has been brought to light to warrant a little more activity on the part of the police on this matter. Once the owner of a dog finds that the animal shows disposition to at- tack pedestrians he should see that 1t is killed. If he does not do this he runs the risk of paying a smart fine. The records here and else- where furnish proof that heavy fines are imposed in most cases where owners of vicious dogs have been brought into court.
 The city ordinance covers the dog question fully. A few paragraphs will suffice. No person shall own, keep or harbor any vicious dog, and the biting of any person by dog shall be prima facie evil dence of the viciousness of such dog.
 Any person convicted in the city court of keeping vicious dog shall, within such time as said court shall order, deliver such dog to policeman of the city, and such policeman shall kill said dog.
 Any person who shall own, keep or harbor any dog which shall bite or worry domestic animals or which shall annoy travellers on the high ways shall be deemed guilty of maintaining a nuisance and shall forfeit and pay penalty of not more than twenty dollars"
 These are not all the provisions of the ordinance, but they are suffi- cient to remind owners of dogs that their pets have no right to interfere with people on the high ways, neither are they free to chase and worry cats or other domestic animals. something which many dog owners look upon as sort of joke and take delight in encourag- ing the business.
 But the real purpose of the law is to protect human beings from being bitten by dogs. Children and women are at the mercy of a vic- ious brute, and even a man is no match for a huge dog that pounces upon him when there is not even friendly stone or stick at his command. Besides private citizens, even though they might be armed, object to battling with dogs on the public streets.
 Unfortunately for the good of so- ciety. too many hesitate about bringing such abuse to the atten- tion of the authorities. But 20 many complaints are being heard it does seem that the police will have to take a hand in the matter. One has no right to keep a vicious dog at large even in his own yard. In this country, custom has made 1t so that stranger may call at a house to ask question or offer something for sale, and 1t stands to reason that such a person should enjoy this privilege without run ming the risk of finding himself a subject for the hospital because of being torn by ferocious dog. One might ask what is a dog for any, way, If not to protect its masters property, and how is a dog to dis tinguish between a burglar and a harmless visitor. We'll, that Is an- other matter. Prowlers who enter dooryards in the night time find little sympathy in courts or else- where if they happen to get hot reception from an intelligent watch dog. The principal aim of the or dinance Is to safeguard people on the public streets.
 This Is no charge against an in- telligent dog. The animal has it's place about the dooryard, but when 1t goes on the street and sinks it's teeth into a pedestrian. it should not be spared to repeat the oper-