KINDNESS TO ANIMALS.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVII, Issue 215, 19 February 1915, Page 6

KINDNESS TO ANIMALS.

AX INTERESTING LETTER. Mr. G. F. Robinson, Into secretar." of the Now Plymouth branch of the' Society for tin; Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, has forwarded to Mr. E. C. Hughes thy following interesting letter on the, work in Christehurch:—• "Ons day last we'-'k I visited the "Animals Home" which is conducted in Christclniro.li by the Canterbury S.P.C.A. Tt is situate on a small plot or land—•about a quarter aero —lying between Victoria street and Montreal street, about one half of the land being in grass, on which injured stock could graze, the remainder being occupied bv the inspector's office, a number of com-partments-like horse boxes, and shed containing wire cages for cats, etc.. and a number of kennels under one roof, for dogs, each kennel having a small yard wired in. In' addition to starv cats and dogs which arc constantly being brought in from the streets, and disposed of by being claimed bv the owners, - sold to persons in want of them, or, failing such disposition, are destroyed by pruss'c acid. ' Many are brought r>v persons leaving the city and who prefer leaving them with the Society rather than allow them to become waifs and strays. Good homes are, if possible, found for these, the Society receiving oaymcnt for tliem; but failing such hr-ies they are destroyed, There is also a boarding establishment for cats and dogs. Supposing a fii.mily are leaving Cliristirhmv-V on a, holiday trip for two, or three, or four weeks, and have a favorite dog or eat tliey could not take with them, and do not care to leave to the mercies of the neighbors. They take it to the Animals' Tronic where it is kept in a separate cage or kennel, kept clean and warm, fed three times a day,, and all for the payment of Is fid per week for a cat, and 2s fid per week for a do;:. Should the animal be disabled, it is attended to by the lion. vet. surgeon, or by the inspector, who is well up in such matters, having been for eight years an inspector of a society in Scotland. The "home'' is, I belie ve, the onlv one in Xe\v Zealand, and although there is a small revenue from it, it does nut nearly pay expenses. The system obtaining here and in AYeiffligton of having lndv collectors is, I think, a good one, and might'be followed with advantage by our own 'Society, were suitable collectors obtainable. Two collectors, one working from Prougham street eastwards, the, other from the same line westwards, could add very materially to our funds, as T believe many vouM subscribe were i;bey 1 ersonallv asked, who do not now trouble to do so, or who forget all about it. Of course, the ladies should receive commission on all they collected at a rate of not less than ten per cent. T am afraid our society is looked upon as not a public one, and lndv collectors might help to break that feeling down.—Yours sincerely, G. F. Robinson."