ST. BERNARD DOGS

Evening Post, Volume CXXIV, Issue 63, 11 September 1937, Page 11

ST. BERNARD DOGS

HOW THEY HAVE CHANGED

. Tourists, including marry Americans, nocking through St. Bernard Pass to see its famous dogs, are warned to beware of them as "wolves in sheep's clothing" by Dr. J. Bremond in a long letter to ■which the "Journal de Geneve" gives prominence, says the "New York Times."

The Swiss doctor charges that these dogs have long been a public danger because of their "ferocity." He cites eight of "innumerable" cases in recent years in which, they attacked persons who had welcomed them because of their reputation for rescue work.

Dr. Bermond declares these attacks have been hushed up "out of regard for the monks," and also, he implies, for fear of injuring one of Switzerland's "principal tourist attractions." He demands that all the dogs should be removed from the historic home at the hospice atop the pass "except one or two of the gentlest," which would be retained there in pens for show purposes. The others he would have kept for breeding in some remote valley. NOT RESCUERS NOW. Dr. Bremond charges that the dogs now at the hospice are not pure descendants of the famous rescue dog Ban, who died in 1817. He says the monks have twice had t6 cross them with other dogs. . i

He asserts that the dogs no longer 'do any rescue work, partly because there is little travel now over St. Bernard Pass in the winter, travellers going instead by train through the Simplon and Montcenis tunnels, and partly because what rescue work there is is done by monks on skis and the dogs cannot follow. The only good the dogs now do, according to Dr. Bremond, is to help with their paws to dig out avalanche victims.

The doctor's letter was evoked by a fatal; attack by the dogs on a small girl in May. Efforts have since been made, he says, "to attenuate the facts."

"The story of a dog who saves travellers in the snow," he continues, "draws tens of thousands of tourists and hundreds of automobiles to St. Bernard in the summer. It is desired to keep at any price the dogs' reputation for goodness. ..•■.-■

"We are told they will be under stricter control now," he concludes. "What does that mean? The more they are penned in the uglier their temper will become. One fine day control will be relaxed and there will be another. drama."