The Daily Alaska empire., 1937-01-16
DOG LEASHERS
 WIN 1ST ROUND
 OF P00CH DERBY
City Council Passes New Ordinance in First Read
 ing-2 Rounds to Come

The first round of the city "doe fight" has gone to those who be- lieve that dogs running at large in Juneau are a nuisance and should be kept at home, or, when away from home, should be cn leash. In other words, the City Council, at its meeting last night passed in first reading, by vote of three to none, the new proposed city ordinance which would require that all dogs he on leash when out of their own yards. Two Councilmen did not vote. The ordinance must be read twice more before being put on fi- nal passage.
 Despite what round two and three may reveal, round one last night of- fered spirited discussion with R. R. Hermann, well known dog-owner, defending and Assistant District At torney George W. Folta in the apro- pos role of prosecutor.
 Court of the Dog
 MT. Hermann admitted that dogs running in packs about the city were a nuisance, but, he argued, enforcement of the present ordi- nance against them would solve the problem. Asked what he would do about the dogs running the streets, and the dog-owner remarked he would enforce the law. At that Chief of Police Roy Hoffman point ed out that in order to enforce the present ordinance it would be neces- sary to capture the defendant dog. take same before City Magistrate A.. w. Henning and have that offic- ial declare it nuisance before it could be destroyed. The City Mag istrate, who is also City Clerk, indi- cated he didn't care much about being His Honor at the Court of the Dog.
 MT. Hermann stressed further in his argument that there are many dogs in Juneau, among them his own, which follow their masters and obey at word of command. Many of them are valuable dogs, and he argued the new leash ordinance would be unfair to the dog and his owner.
 We'll, What is There?
 T know you have good dog," de- clared Mayor Goldstein, but what is to hinder him from snapping at some person or child"?
 What" countered Dog Owner lis to keep me from going mad down here on the street and biting someone?"
 Neither had an answer to why man or beast might run amuck.
 George Wants His Sleep
 Prosecutor Folta had been hav- ing his sleep disturbed by the howl ing of dogs, he told the Council. In those quiet, still hours of the morn ing when sleep is golden, MT. Folta argued that his slumbers were often broken by rowling, bowling and barking" of dogs, just sitting on their launches paying at the moon.
 "It," he remarked, lis dogs pri- vilege to howl, it's the nature Of the beast, but the law provides that human beings also are entitled to, peace and quiet"
 MT. Folta contended that he and his fellow citizens were entitled to the sleep of the just. but that this could not be obtained with a pooch testing his vocal chords beneath his bedroom window
 Even Post Enters Discussion The favorite post, nuisances on the school grounds and on the streets and other matters dealing with dogs were gone into at length, the Mayor finally attempting to get la raise out of the Councilmen, but met only the kind of silence that MT. Folta was pleading for beneath his bedroom window at night. How lever, the impasse was finally brok- en with a timid motion was put that the ordinance be passed in first reading. Rallying a second, it went to vote, three of the Councilmen deciding it was safe to pass the new proposal that far and two declining to voice a sentiment.
 Round one of Juneau's battle of ldog century was over but there was indication that the ultimate decis- ion was far from in the bag.