Evening star., 1940-05-12

The recent request of Maj. Patrick
H. Tansey, chairman of the District
Regulations Committe, for opinions
on assessment of kennel license
fees to owners of several dogs has
aroused much discussion, but since
dog owners are better at talking
than letter writing, the major prob
ably has heard from few Of them.
The general view Is that the bur-
den would fall on the law-abiding
and make little impression on those
whose dogs need limiting or re-
straining.
One dog may be public nuisance,
while four well-kept ones may be
no nuisance at all. At the present
rate, four licenses bring in SO. to
the District; the unlicensed dog
pays nothing and regularly prop
agates mongrel litters. If the four
are further taxed. the one is still
running at large. No suggestion
is made that additional revenue
be applied to ridding the streets
of garbage-can-fed strays, though
approximately $4,000 dog licenses
are issued annually, an income
Of 100000 to the District. The
pound is notoriously understaffed
and the police give little help to
those who report poisoned, lost or
stolen dogs tthe "dognaping" evil
is serious and grows worse) or to
bands of strays which disturb the
public.
Another ill-advised proposition
which has the Endorsement Of sew
eral groups of citizens advocates
taxing bitches more than double
the present license fee. Here again
the burden would fall on the we'll
behaved and the offender would
go scot-free. The owner ow a pure
bred female takes every precaution.
for his own sake, against mongrel
ntters. The stray female that
runs the streets would continue
to produce mongrels, which would
in turn produce more mongrels.
Many licensed, home-kept bitches
never have a single litter. Others,
bred at the cost Of a stud fee, ex-
pensively fed and properly housed,
produce puppies which are sold to
good homes.
Among them are always a num-
ber Of females, and the tax would
make these far harder to- sell.
Thus keeping pure-bred, licensed
bitch would be discouraged, and
good males would cost correspond
ingly more. Since people will have
pets, law or no law, the unlicensed
"roamers" OF both sexes would i'm
mediately increase.
Here again no suggestion Is made
that more be spent Kidding the city
Of strays or giving protection against
the spread Of worms, mango, dis
temper and other ills of which the
tramp dog is carrier. Until. q
greater part Of the dog license rev.
enue goes to protect those who pay
1t and their neighbors on whose
laws and sidewalks the strays romp
unhindered Washington dog owners
will be very cold to any move to
tax them further.
Apologies! To Helen Samuel,
whose Pekingese stud and show dog,
Little Boy Blue, is famous here
abouts. We must have been think
ing Of art, not dogs, when We called
his son ''Blue Boys Ace. Correctly,
Of course, he is Little Boy Blues Ace.
Marguerite Jones of the Layhill
Kennels has had better luck with
her miniature schnauzer, Bimelech,
than those who have backed the
horse for which he was named!
Bimmie the dog collected seven
points at Richmond and Washing
ton, while Miss Jones' 7-month-old
puppy, Minquas Zorina, also named
for famous character, after going
best of winners at Alexandra for
five points. has just acquired two
more at the Bryn Mawr show.
Judge Henry jackson Hunt, Sd,
Of Rockville Is known as 4 dor en-
thusiast, but few realize that for
years he has been writing poetry.
for his own interest and that Of
his family. Some Of his poems have
been included In various annual
compilations Of American verse.
Now Avon House Of New York has