CRUELTY TO ANIMALS

Evening Star, Issue 21751, 20 June 1934, Page 14

CRUELTY TO ANIMALS

OTAGO SOCIETY MEETS Present at yesterday afternoon’s meeting of the Otago Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals were: Messrs Crosby Morris (chairman), J. C. Willis, J. R. Dickinson, I!. Fountain, A. 13. Sutherland, W. Cooper, E. G. Reynolds, G. L. Nelson, and A. Stewart. Jt was. decided to write to the St. Kilda Borough Council requesting that a water trough be erected between the St. Kilda train terminus and the Tahuna Park gate. The Secretary for Foreign Work of the University of London Animal Welfare Society wrote asking for an account of the Otago Society’s work, as information was being collected for the third volume of the ‘ Animal Year Book.’—Received. DOG POISONING. A letter was received from Messrs Webb, Allan, "Walker, and Anderson giving tho position as to the laws in England and New Zealand in relation to unburied carcasses. A client, along with' two of his neighbours, had suffered the loss of a number of valuable sheep dogs in the last two years. These men alleged that the dogs had been maliciously enticed on to a neighbouring farm, there to eat from unburied carcasses, which had been impregnated by poison. Jt was said that there was no question of these dogs having been given to sheep worrying, or of Jiaving gone to the alleged poisoner’s farm for any such purpose. Section 34 of the Stock Act, 1908, New Zealand, read: “ Every person, who, by himself, his servant, or agent, easts or causes to be cast the carcass of any stock of any age into any stream or pond, or other water, or wilfully leaves the carcasses of any stock or any meat or offal therefrom to lie about .in any place within one-half mile of any highway is liable to a penalty not exceeding £SO, and not less than;£l.” The English statute with relation to the burial of carcasses read: “Any person who knowingly, and without reasonable excuse, permits the carcass of any head of cattle belonging to him, or under his control, to remain unburied in a field or other place to which dogs can gain access is liable to a fine not exceeding 405.” The letter went on to state that the client was anxious to have the matter brought before the society. It would seem that to punish a poisoner of the type alleged, in the case the New Zealand statute, with its arbitrary half-mile limit, should be widened on the basis of the English statute, which had no such limitation of distance in it.

Mr Fountain said that if the man allowed his dogs to wander on to another’s property it was his own fault if they were poisoned at a distance over half a mile from the road.

In this case, said Mr Sutheiland, ho understood that the dogs were enticed on to the property. The Chairman expressed the opinion that if the carcasses were poisoned and left exposed, the neighbours, with dogs, should have some protection.

The inspector (Mr .1. .1. Hindi cliff) said that in this particular case the dog owners had some justification in complaining. Mr Fountain: It would be a great help if we could get the men to bury their carcasses. The Chairman; We can never do that. The society should try some way of helping the dog owners in question,, said Mr Cooper, whereupon Mr Willis said that it was a matter for the police. There was no suggestion of cruelty in the' poisoning. On the motion of Mr Reynolds it was decided to reply to the effect that, while the society sympathised with the owners who had lost their dogs, it was regretted that the society could do nothing in the matter according to the reading of the present law. INSPECTOR’S REPORT. The Inspector (.Mr Hinchcliff). in his report, stated that he had visited the following places:—Dunback, Hyde, Waipiata, Patearoa, Ranfurly, Lauder, Omakau, Opbir, Poolburn, Alexandra, Allanton, Otokia, Momona, Mosgiel, Wingatui, Balclntba,' Waitahuna, Warrington, Macandrcy Bay, Tapanui, Heriot, Edievalc. Oamaru, and Knrow. He had attended stock sales at Burnside and Balclntba, clearing sales at Waitabmia and Warrington, horse sales at Balclntba and the city, races at Wingatui, the local Winter Show, and the annual meeting of the Knrow Jockey Club. The following complaints had been received and Cruelty to dog in city; Investigated and no cause for co.mplaint found. (2) Cruelty to cat in city: The complaint was that some schoolboys had a cat in a sugar hag, and were throwing it round and round, and then throwing it into a hedge. One hoy admitted throwing the hag around, hut said he did not know at the time that there was a cat inside it. On further inoinrics as to what became of the cat. the hoy in cmestion said it ran away. The father of the hoy chastised him for bis action (3) Injured dog in eitv: He inspected the dog and found it had a broken leg. The animal was destroyed C 4) Cruelty and starving of animals at Macandrew Bay; The coinnlainaut stated that a ladv had recently gone to reside in this district, and that she had a large number of animals that were being starved. The morning after receiving the complaint he went to Macandrew Bay and found things just as stated. The lady had shifted there a week previously, had gone away the same day. and left a girl (of about seventeed years') in charge of an old man of S2 years, and the animals—6 dogs. 7 cats. 12 pigeons. ,1 rabbit. 1 guinea pig ] opossum, 3 roosters, and a few head of poultry—running about. There were also twenty-five bead of poultry in a neighbour's fowlrun. The pigeons, rabbit, guinea pig, opossum, and roosters were confined in small hoses. He could not find the owner, so. two days after, in company with Constable Rushatch, he made another inspection, without finding any improvement. On this oe.easion ho released the pigeons. The constable said ho would have the woman traced. The following day be was assured that everything was a'l rmbt so far as cruelty was concerned. (~>) Cruelty to dog in - city; This was investigated. and it was found that tfio dog bed been sent to the country the nreeeduvT dav. (ft) Starving entile at Balclntba; Full iunuiries were made, and bo considered there was no cause for complaint. The report was adopted. ,