"THE BROWN DOG."

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1073, 11 March 1911, Page 5

"THE BROWN DOG."

BATTERSEA FARCE ENDS.

Us TelceraDh—Prtss JEsbclatioD-CoDyrliilit

London, March 9. The Battersca Borough Council has Ordered the destruction of tho "Brown Dog," the nnti-vivisection statue regarding which there have been several riotous scenes and some litigation.

AN ANTI-VIVISECTION IST PROTEST,

EXTRAORDINARY PROCEEDINGS. The history of the celebrated ' Brown Dog" of Battersca stretchcs oyer several years, and its main features may he gathered from the following outline Ox tho proceedings up to January, 1903, published at that time in the London "Times," since there has been a ■ scries of further riots and htigatiun:— "All the turmoil and all the alarms ivhich have been givon Battersca reccnt notoriety are tho conseq'.unce of a siftIn 1901 or 1905 the International AntiVivisection Scekty saw fit to construct ft moidorial to a dead dog. The memorial took the form of a fountain embedded in a circular mass of granite, on which was an image of tho dog. An inscription said j that tho dog had been to death by vivisection, and particular mcdical schools were specified as having the chief part in the deed. The memorial cost about ,£l3O. It was offered as a free gift to several public bodies; but a libel action and other proceedings were threatened against whoever set it up. The Battersca Borough Council accepted the offer by a majority, but their acceptance was not wholehearted. . Nearly a year elapsed before the council dedicated the memorial to the public. When the council met on September 11, 1906, an agreement with the International Anti-Vivi-section Society was sealed, the society undertaking to indemnify the local authority against costs and damages in the event of civil proceedings, ana earnest money to the amount of -2300 was deposited. The memorial was unveiled a few days afterwards in the recreation ground of the Latchmcro Estate, near Battersca Park Road. From tho first the memorial has had to be specially protected. Electric communication was established between it and the quarters assigned to tho watchmen, and the Borough Council has had to incur continuous expense. Hie recent alarms and disorders attributed to medical students havo had a very serious effect on the policing of .the district. On several occasions every available man has beon called out to guard the memorial. In addition, two men are constantly sept by the fountain day and night, at a cost which the Commissioner of Police estimates at .£7OO per annum, and. this amount he has asked if Battersea is prepared to pav. Local anti-vivisectionists have taken" alarm, and are organising meetings of protest, Among the moro responsible Progressive members of the Borough Council thero is a feeling that tho present condition of affairs is intolerable, and that at least tho offensive inscription ought to be erased. On the other hand, tho anti-vivisectioiusts are for further protection, though of a less costly nature. Thev suggest that the entire memorial shonld be enclosed with a stout iron cage, provided with doors through which the children who play in the recreation rrround may get water from tho fountain."