TREATMENT OF SHEEP DOGS

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Issue 37, 27 February 1937, Page 19

TREATMENT OF SHEEP DOGS

. -.j. « m i. English Visitor to N.Z. _ Shocked UN-BRITISH METHODS Shocked at the rnethod 6f feeding" and' the kennel management adopted by a large number of ' sheep dog owners in New Zealand, an English visitor, Captain J. E. M. BradishEllames, comments strongly in a letter to a northern paper. His allegations that the dogs are ill-fed and unfit are supported by a man with long years of experience of sheep and cattle dogs in the Dominion. "I have greatly enjoyed my visit of six weeks *to 'New Zealand," states Captain Bradish-Ellames' letter. "1 ■have admired the ,'wohderful scenery and met many delighfful people. BefOre I depart' I feel I must add a. proteat to previous ones at the treatment of the New Zealand' sheep dog. I was very shocked - when I discovered the method of feeding and the kennel management adopted by a large number of' sheep "dog owners. I have discussed the- suhject with many people. Some are jusij as disguated as I am my; iself ; "other s try'to justify the system. -^Surely no sensible man or woman would ■ back a raeehorse which had b.een shut UP in its ,box since its last race and had had t,o eat a few mnsty oa.ts and its beddingt .But the shepherd, whose very existence depends on his dogs, asks these vanimals to perform duties demanding both speed' and stamina in a totally ill.fed and unfit cqndftion. . I knoys* he af gues that a dog works better in light condition, but there. is a.happy medium which i^ admirably demonstrated by f ox-hounds, shooting dogs and sheep ■ dogs in fhe Unitqd Kingdom. To me it is un.Bfitish. ,i . .

Educate Shepherds. I ««"V7e place ourselves as a race far I above any other in ou.r love and know- 1 ledge pf animals, and iore in a British I DomShion is fbund a " stafe_ of affairs I worthy only. of the , Latin races, One I hears and reads. a great deal about the disease hydatids. Surely this disoase j could be, greatly elfminated , by more careful and regular ..feeding of the sheep dog. I eannot believe there are not a great many men and women in j New Zealand who could spend a little time, and even a little money, on I edueating the shepherds. " Owners of sheep stations who employ their own shepherds could. do most I of "all, if only they had the wilL A little trouhle and a little organi'sation I couia produce the necessary daily meal and exereise for every sheep dog inl the Dominion." "There are strong grounds for the charges levelled hy Captain Bradish- 1 Ellames againqt many sheep and cattle farmers, drovers and shepherds, ' ' xemarked a, man whq. has spent years in i inspecting New Zealand farms. * f Considering that n«t a hoof of our fiocksj and herds could be properly moved and handled on the farms and o.n the roads without the dogs, and considering the amazingly high standard of work demanded of them, their treatment too often is a disgrace.

■ «The same soft methods uaed with city or house dogs are not expectedl for the working dogs. Discipline and j unquestionipg obedience are allrim" j poxtant. But the brutal fioggings,. the wretched housing, and the . poor and j insufficient food which too often fall I to the lot of the working dog are impossible to defend or nnderstand.'? Gaves as Kennels. Within 5Q miles of Auckland, con- 1 tinued the eritic, he had sqen a team of I dogs whose only shelter from cold and winter storms was in small caves exca-l vated from a elay hank; There they J were continuouslv chained, except when I

required to "^ork, fed sparsely once a J day, and fqrced tp drink water out of a dirty tin. Further stoiies of callous treatment O.f sheep dogs were xe- l qounted* He had seen, said ' the critic, j a man fifpjtt a .city snap his. fingers at a sheep dog on a country road. The friendly beast had run over eagerly j and jumped up. Without cpminent and I with the greatest unconcern, the owner I of the dog,, a drover, had taken his gun and shot the animal. The dog was no good to him. It was not a "one man" dog. "I have seen dogs flogged unmerci- 1 fnl|y for minor breaches qf discipline/' concluded the critic." "I have known of dogs left unf ed and uncared for while the owners .have been on holiday fpr dayt. at a time.. Of course, there ."is the other tide to the story— the more enlightened farmer whose dogs are decently housed, well fed, and in per? • f ect condition. Even so, I am afraid that oqr English visitor is right. ' ' )

A Public Buty. "If incidents such as these referred to are known, it is the duty of members of the public to report them to the nearest conatable or inspector of the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals,"- remarked Mr. J. J. Hobingworth, inspector of the Auckland branch of the S.P.C.A., when the above remarks were referred to him. He admitted that periodically bad casea of ill-treatmeiit came under.

the notice of the society, but he did I not believe that people who maltreated sheep or cattle dogs were in the majority. However, there was room for improvement. It was pointed out by Mr. HollingI worth that under the Police Offences j Aet there was a section deyoted to I liruelty to animals which provided for j heavy fines and imprispnment up to six months. Although the clause did not I define cruelty, tb^pe was a clause which I had a wide applieation and which could I be interpreted in a vraiety of w.ays by i a magistrate.