HUMANITY TO ANIMALS

Evening Post, Volume CXVI, Issue 33, 8 August 1933, Page 6

HUMANITY TO ANIMALS

Several- correspondents write with reference to a recent case in; which an allegation'of cruelty to a cat was dismissed by the Magistrate. Mrs. L. Golding commends the Society for, the' Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, and adds: "Possibly many of the readers of your paper would think of the activities of this society for the first time, but as an interested onlooker'might I, through, the .kindness of your columns, mention that this society works qnietly and unostentatiously at all times, protecting all animals from cruelty and injustice, and,, when necessary, painlessly puts to sleep any animal /whose hope of recovery from sickness is impossible. At the same time I would like to draw the attention of the society to the-bobby calf trade in this country and ask what it is doing about it. I know for a fact that little weak calves of perhaps one or two days old- are frequently tied at gates in. the country waiting for the carrier to pick them up, when they are huddled in- a lorry often tied together so that they ennnot move, and in many cases the weakest avo trampled to death bejforc they reach their destination, viz., the meatworks. I venture to say that.over 80 per cent, of New Zealand's income is derived from animals, and surely thero should be some law that farmers should be made responsible for their animals and made to

look after them in a humane -manner. Upon making inquiries at the S.P.C.A. office I find that, tho society is in dire straits and that its activities are hampered considerably through lack .of funds. I know that in these difficult times women [and children are suffering and the public have many calls upon them, but surely public-spirited persons can spare a little to help the poor dumb creatures who cannot ask for help for themselves. ,My small donation to the funds will be sent direct to the society." ' . Mabel Christmas-Harvey criticises the decision in the case referred to, and states: "There is only one painless way to put puss to sleep—that is with a properly-constructed lethal box in which the correct amount of anaesthetic (according to age and condition of the cat) has been put. Then, without being frightened or hurt, the cat will go into a perfectly painlcs sleep from which it will not Similar sentiments are expressed by "Humane," who protests against the way some people hunt down and throw stones at cats, or leave them to starve when the owner* leave their houocs.