Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1931-08-31
Mew York
Letter

NEW YORK.-The pet industry
in New York is becoming as ef-
ficiencized as the cloak and suit
business.
Veterinarians who specialize in
gold fish or turtles or canary birds
are getting as common as horse
doctors Of ~yesteryear. Taking care
Of an ordinary dog. to say nothing
of a blooded hound, rapidly threat
ems 70 become a major extrav-
agance.
Within the past few years the
number Of pet owners have increas-
ed in exast proportion 70 the num-
Der of strangely assorted animals.
1t is no longer uncommon 70
enter a Park Avenue apartment and
find a baby alligator occupying the
bathtub. IN fact the pet stores have
taken to specializing in odd and
unusual forms o. bird, fish ana
animal life, since the demand late-
lv has been for the unique in pats.
Few Of the rare specimens live
very long. Even a puppy born in
New York has a slight chance OF
survival. The II .emper average
for Manhattan is higher than any
other place where young dogs are
concerned. For thas reason, most
kennels are outside the city. Dogs
are reared 10 a certain age IN
Connecticut, Jersey or upper New
York state. Otherwise the dog
doctor" is frequently consulted.
A friend OF mine who makes
but a very ordinary living. but
who happens to be a dog fancier,
recently ran up a bill Of $500 in
dog doctor bills" within a few
weeks. Then the dog had to be
shot anyway.
With all due respect to dog lovers,
and I am often n Of them, l
have too much fondness for even
a homeless n%Ondescript purp to'ask
il to share the ways or an apart
ment dweller. Frequently I read Of
gents who keep their dogs in Man
haitian hotels and apartments. Well,
/ like dogs too well to do II.
After all. a dog Is entitled 70 a
certain freedom Of range. II seems
70 me the so-called dog lovers who
imprisOn a canine animal within a
restricted three-room OF One-tloor
dwelling place are not Going right
BY our Fido. Every day Of the year
the avenues and parkways are
cluttered with persons taking little
Fiji ont for exercise. The presump-
ton Is tina. a dog should be eX-
ercised three times a day. once l
tried IL. But nv hours, somehow,
never agreed with those Of the dog.
For months l tried 70 sell myself
on the idea that 7 needed exercise
more than the dog did. But Just
about that time / would come home
from the office in a state OF acute
fatigue. my wife would comment
that she had TO make dinner and
wash the dishes-and what about
the dog? All. indeed-what about
the dog?
Starting out with what I Thought
was a deep and understanding
devotion toward poor Rip. | came
70 look upon him as a darn nuis-
ance and bother. Particularly was
this case when I came sleepily
home from some night club or
theater affair IN the late hours OF
the night. and realized that nv
weary eyes would not be allowed
to close until 7 had taken Rip
around the block a few times.
Ius aware that 10 wasn't the poor
hounds fault. n was mine for as
suming that a dog could get any
thing ike an even break in the
big city. There are. 70 be sure. a
great number of wealthy persons
who can hire the ianitor, the maid,
or the chauffeur 70 take a dog for
a couple or rounds OF Central Park.
Quite aside from this. the busl-
ness OF surgery has become highly
specialized where other pets are
concerned. Thus. I learned recent
". there are several doctors who
deal in turtles. Turtles. 10 seems. are
quite the thing 10 have around the
house. but there's something about
city life that gives them slightly
goiterous growths on their necks.
And there are any number OF spe-
cialists In Internationally various
forms Of gold fish. The New York
Aquarium has a regular staff OF
experts who may be called upon for
private cases" and who look after
thousands Of exhibition fish in the