HUMANITY TO ANIMALS

Press, Volume LXVIII, Issue 14344, 2 May 1912, Page 7

HUMANITY TO ANIMALS

HOSPITAL .iXI> HOME OF REST COMPLETION OF THE SCHEME

Tho hcsoital and heme of rest for dogs, horses, and other animals established by the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, is now an accomplished fact, aud the' official opening of tho new depot is to take place in the course ot a week or two. Tne establishment is situated on an irregular-shaped blcek of land ruuning from' Victoria itrcet to Montreal street north, the principal entrance being on the former street. Thero was much preliminary work to do in the way ef removing old buildings and levelling the section- Fencing also was a fairly ~ expensive item. The new buildings consist, of a large stablo with four loose-boxes, a store-room at ono ond and an operating theatre at tho other. The loose-boxes are very spacious, possess plenty of ventilation, aro paved in brie;**, and properly drained. Tho operating theatre is fitted up specially for what it has to do, aud apparatus is provided to hang up a horse or other animal to bo operated on. Next to the theatre is tho secretary's office Close to the main building a set of eight kennels has been erected for the- reception of dogs, cither strays or those left at the institution for care or treatment. These kennels are build of wood and lined with asbesto*., and there is a wire cage or coop in front of each. There 's a section adjoining that upon which tho buildings have been erected, and this is to be used as a yard for exercising horses. In tho secretary's office thero is a gruesome collection of instruments of torture which havo boon used on animals-and confiscated when proceedings wore taken. An iron bit, of great weight and .solid construction, was taken from the mouth of a horse that was being broken iv. There are .also two rabbit traps. Ono was found gripping the leg of a sheep, and the other was found attached to the leg of a cat. In these two cases, howover, the cruelty to the animals was the result moro of accident than design. A hooked rod, resembling a boat hook, was. according to the inspector of the Society, used for dragging pigs from a pen to an abattoir. The method of working was to catch tho pig below the jaw with the hook, and then pull it to where wanted. Another terrible instrument was a rod with a sharpened file attached to ono end. Some juvenile monster, it arpears, amused himself by caging cats, and jabbing thero with tho pointed filo when they wero in the case- A small bunch of feathers is kept as a. memento _pf another charming character, who amused himself ono day at the saleyards by pulling the tail feathers out of a live rooster. Ther© is also include-- 1 , in tho collection . a chain bridle apparatus, intended to prevent a sheep dog biting his charges. The device involved the placing of a metal plate in tho dog's mouth, and prolonged cruelty was tho result. Thero aro two specimens of this apparatus, ono of which is said to have been in a do;r**s mouth for over seven years. Another exhibit is a bridlo containing a number of iron spikes nointing outwards. This was fastened to tbo head of a calf to prevent it milking its mother.