Cruelty to Dogs

Dominion, Volume 28, Issue 90, 10 January 1935, Page 11

Cruelty to Dogs

Sir.—The sight of cruelty to animals is sufficient to make the blood of any decent man or woman surge with anger, and the thought that an injured dog may lie for hours in agony is not to be borne silently. The dog will never voice his wrongs but those who call themselves his friends can and should do what they can to state his case for him. I hope the Tailwaggers* Chib will not let the matter rest here, but will do all it possibly can to have the law amended by making the reporting of accidents to dogs compulsory, in the way suggested by “Philokuon.” Your readers may be interested to know that Australia has followed the lead set in England and has passed a similar law. New Zealand, which leads the world in much humanitarian legislation, appears to lag behind where dogs are concerned. No doubt the day will come when the dog will take his proper place in the community, and when the “friend o’ man” will be recognised as such and will no longer be treated as an iusentiate creature with neither feelings nor rights. I think that dog-owners should consider the question of the “other fellow’s dog” more than appears to be the case. No doubt most of them treat their own dogs as well as they can, but how many of them give any thought to the next man’s? The only way to secure fair treatment for every dog is for all owners and friends to band together throughout the Dominion so Hint enough pressure may be brought to bear on those in authority to secure more humane legislation.—l am, ~|e” k. m. McCaskill.