DENIED A GRAVE.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 750, 24 February 1910, Page 4

DENIED A GRAVE.

THE UNFORTUNATE'.CAT.

BANNED -FROM-THE DESTRUqTOR.

A nomad, flying from incessant foes, pursuing Us. furtive, occasions under \ the dark, shadow of. nighty the household cat must' even tel envy of ."a dog's life.". .Unless he bo a / pampered, domestic pet, there is little consideration for him from-a discussion -which tookplace at, , the meeting :i>f- the-SSwiety. for-'Prevention of .Cruelty, to Animals on TuMa'ay.-itliat there ia less Mnsidmtion for,"hiio.rdying or dead. •

, ' The predicament ot'a' lady, who -..wrote to the society,/brought to light , the heartless Indifference which is shown: to,a cat's last days..,;This.,-lady ;ha<l - been troubled byia•-stray;' cat,,. which''.would stay about her' touse,- although it was in a sick condition .vdiugMoiis ■ : to human health. She had . 'sent"' the animal to .the destructor; .arid been told that it-was not a cat .had beer. .sent . bade'-to her, 'and- her 'letter stated .that she-would esteem.: it; a great favour if ,the society, would have it re-. The society's 1 ; inspector .-'etoUjd darkly, that he had-advised the lady,what to do . fogetrid-of the oat,: but,a'lady.member of' the society oould"iipt ; ;let- the subject pass so easily. ;"But what.is' done with' the. cats that. aro. taken down to.tho.eestructor she inquired.;; "A- good many; are seit 'there... What; happens, to them? It opens up ratheT,'alarming:'potentaUties. Are they put into the destrnctor.ahve? ' Ahbthei 1 '- meniber-- 'answered: _ ,They could not put the cats in the Mhai chamberwith the dogs." To embitter, their last-moments-in this way.was. apparently thought, too dreadful; for- the possibility •was not further discussed;;. ,

Jl ' 1-. Raid on Cats Required, ;,. ; "There should bo a' raid.'on cats;" declared another member. ' There are a lot .of .diseased cats-about, not only in. Wellington; but in the country. . - .. The, chairman: : If . the., City ..Council took, up all the. cats there .-art in .Wellington ; it;! would have a job. _ , "But what are you to do with an old cat if it dies?" ■inquired-the lady. "You aro; not'aUowed- o to - bury, it in. your -garden,". said a male,.member. . "Not .allowed .to biiry.it?" ... ,- . .-< It was agreed , : that one; was : ; not allowed, to bury' anything in; abaok.gat-' don. " .; 1 . The expediency -of ; ;P,utting the. corpse in the : rubbish-bin.:was..discussed, ;j?ut at was -generally. considered , that,.',if .;.the council's dust-min saw it, there, he would, refuse -to take it-in the.bjn.-. VV'"-'-Benevolent gentleman (not.young):. Anyone can' drown a'.cat.in-a.,tub..-, ,'He-net : soribed how., ioats-. 'had, beenvdrowiied. in, his-experience. , -" The chairman; -What do you do with, them'after they're'drowned ?,' B»h«vol«nt. , -''gentlemaii!-..'Q»»erj:-f-3''-->.''-,'' Lad.v member: But ladies can't drown them-in a tub.. Benevolent -gentleman (not young):,-,. 1 beg your pardon,, my dear. (Laughter.), All. the cats I have alluded to. were drowned by ladies The lady who had - raised .the. question thought tnat : all: ladies "could not'. do.She' was; still - troubled'as. to ;the ; .fa£p;'6f cats' sent- to the destructor. 1 -'. "We' don'tknow but what they're, put into the furnace alive." •• yi' a- " It was-.decided itb; Write'-'toi, the.; City. Council ..arid- suggest : that a. day -should ;be .set apart''in the lethal oliambeivfor cats,' 1 -- 1

. A .Word About • Dojjs!"-,- • Some) surprise ,wn's:.caused-.s, when ilie ■society's:'inspector;,stated.'.-that .the City. Counoil. refuses to-' kill dogs: at .the.', de-, structor, except -, dogs- off the street.-; --It is risky to' take pity on-a dog which -may, have bcen iiijurea m.tlie street, and, take -the animal' home, with' a -view, to; alle--viating 'its pain/ and' getting .'.'rid c.of.- it humanely. - ' Tho * City - Council, according to the inspector,--not only refusei; to destroy , such ■ dogs, but insists that the philanthropist shall . pay a license', fee-if-the dog is on-his premises. The council, it was urgod, should make some provision for'destroying those 'dogs' at a small/fee.i At present it costs ss. to" poison a dog,' 2s. Cd; -to dispose of the'body at'■ the destructor, and - lsi 6d. '-for an; express totake it awiy.-"-- This. expense tho inspeotor 'thought absurd.- ' '.' ' ■ The society' contented •; itself jwith • its .recdmmeudation-;coriparnihg cats'.,:' .