DOGS.

Feilding Star, Volume XXIV, Issue 159, 7 January 1903, Page 2

DOGS.

As the subject of " sheep worrying " referred to in our article of Saturday, continues to interest pastoralists, and we have been informed that some of them have doubts as to their powers of self-protection as regards their flocks, we quote for their information the following clauses from the Dog Registration Act, 1880. Clause 16 If any dog shall on a highway or any unenclosed space, rush at, attack, or startle any person, or any horse, cattle, or other animal whereby the life or limbs of any persons shall be endangered or any property be injured or endangered, such dog shall be liable to be immediately killed and the owner or keeper of every such dog shall on conviction forfeit and pay a penalty or sum of not more that five pounds for every such offence over and above the amount of any damage which such dog may have occasioned. Clause 17. — Any person who shall see a dog being at large biting or attacking any person or any horse, sheep, oi cattle or who shall be bitten ot attacked by such dog may destroy the same without being answerable for damage occasioned thereby, Clause 18.— The owner or the agent of the owner of any cattle or sheep or any servant or person employed by such owner or agent may destroy any dog running at large amongst such cattle or sheep. Clause 19. - • The owner of any dog shall be liable in damages for injury done by his dog and it shall not be necessary for the party seeking damages to show a previous mischievous propensity in such dog or the .own.ep'e knowledge of fiuch mischievous propensity o]i that the injury was attributable to neglect on the part of the owner of the dog." That deals with the subject as far as pastoralists are concerned, but owners of dogs in towns Or villages should carefully note how closely they are interested. For instance we have fa the town of Feilding a number of ."master legs" flogs which are a special nuisance tc ihe drivers of vehicles and ladies oi gentlemen on horseback. The useless brutes rush at and bark at the horses to the personal danger of the drivers or riders, and nothing is done by either of them for the good and sufficient reason that they must not shoot the dogs because if the}) did so they would be liable undet the Borough bye-laws, and they have no other means of redress. Foi instance, we know of ope carriage driver who absolutely dreads to drive up or down Manchester street because of one particular mongrel.