Evening star., 1943-04-04
Shortage Of Meat
Fails 10 Restrict
Dog Population
Animal Owners Given
Advice on Feeding
Pets During War

While most dog owners are faced
with q problem in feeding their
pets. nearly 5000 more persons than
last year have taken out dog licenses
In the District thus far this year.
About $4,000 dog tags have been
sold to date at the dog license bu-
reau in the District Building and in
the new Municipal Building, accord
ing to Mrs. Amy M. Wood, who is
in charge of the Bureau. The total
probably will reach IS 900 by June
30. end of the fiscal year. During
the las. fiscal year 30,239 dog tags
or nearly 5000 less, were sold to the
public.
More Dogs, More People.
THE main reason is simply that
more people and dogs are moving
into the District" Mrs. Wood says
THE people move out Of their home
towns and come here, have no one
to leave their dogs with, don't want
to destroy them, and so they take
them with them
Mrs. Wood is unofficial informa-
ton bureau regarding food and lost
dogs picked up by people wishing
to return them. In these days with
no meat to spare, she recommends
corn pone, dog biscuits, cooked vege-
tables, carrots. bacon grease, dried
or fresh fish and cottage cheese.
On the receiving end of this con-
stant influx OF new dogs into the
District also is Frank B. Marks,
master of the District pound. which
corrals stray or sick dogs, cats, goats
and horses. The city received ap-
proximately $65 900 for dog tags and
duplicate tags last year. Expenses
for salaries at the pound amounted
to approximately $12,7Oo.
More Dogs Impounded.
1--WE have been picking up Is per
cent more loose dogs during the last
three months than we did at this
time last year." says Mr.. Marks
Its mostly because of the increase
in population and lot OF new dogs
coming into town.
Mr.. Marks says he has been fore
sighted enough to contract for sufh-
cient horse meat to last the pound
through the end of the fiscal year.
Il wish I had more money so I could
contract now for next year, too, he
observes. One full carload of horse
meat came into town a couple OF
weeks ago intended for civilian re-
tailers. The Government promptly
commandeered the carload for dogs
In the military services, however,
and nothing was left for the civil
ians. Mr.. Marks recommends that
dog owners supplement such meat as
they may want to give their dogs
with cottage cheese, raw vegetables,
carrots, kale, spinach and turnip
tops.
Some Dogs Abandoned.
Mr.. Marks does not credit the en-
tire increase in stray dogs to the
growth in population, but presume
that there are probably a lot OF
people who have abandoned their
dogs" A few people bring their
dogs in to have them put to sleep
at the pound. Reversely, Mr.. Marks
estimates that some 800 dogs have
been placed in private homes by the
pound so far this fiscal year. One
half Of these have gone to suburban
or country homes.
Dogs are the victims of rackets.
Unscrupulous people pick up hand
some, we'll kept dogs and hold them
for ransom as found" dogs. Others
cart valuable dogs to nearby cities
for sale, and other petty racketeers
scoop up any dogs they can find and
sell them to hospitals and medical
schools for vivisection. There are
two bills offered in Congress which
would make it an offense punishable
by 500 fine or 80 days in Jail for
any one to fail to report and de-
scribe dog taken into custody, and
make it Federal offense to cart
a dog of unknown ownership
across State lines.
Fourteen dogs at the pound have
been taken into military services
There now are many purebred dogs
of various species at the pound
where they can be had for the ask
ING and a nominal fee