WORRYING DOGS

Grey River Argus, 6 August 1940, Page 6

WORRYING DOGS

SHEEP FARMERS’ DIFFICULTY. WAIMATE, August 3. A resolution urging investigation of a scheme lor insuring sheepowners against damage done by worrying •logs was carried unanimously at the quarterly meeting of the Waimate branch of the New Zealand Farmers' Union. The resolution, which is the •outcome of a recent occurrence at Arno when some 100 sheep were destroyed, will be forwarded to the South Canterbury executive as a remit.

Mr C. G. Verity said that if an estimate of the damage done by dogs could be made, it should be possible to formulate a scheme by which dog tax collectors could collect an extra fee for an insurance on the lines of the motorists’ third’ party risk. The scheme would probably have to be on •i national basis. Every dog should be charged for except toy dogs, as dogs owned in the towns were likely to do as much damage as others.

Mr A. W. J. Robinson, president of the branch, said that in his experience of nearly half a century he had | found that most of the dogs doing damage came from the towns. Men I out shooting removed the collars <Tom their dogs so that if an animal was lost and became a sheep worrier, j the owner could not be traced. Own m-s of collarless dogs should be pro-' cecuted.

Mr Verity: If covered by an insurance scheme such men would not be so anxious to cover their tracks. Mr Robinson said that some districts had little trouble with worrying and were likely to oppose the project on the ground of expense.

Mr W. J. Fletcher said that there should be little opposition if a national scheme was adopted as the insurance then would probably cost only a few pence. Members of the union whom he had approached at the Dominion conference approved the idea, stated Mr J. C. Hay. He had also discusser! the proposal with the general manager of an insurance company, who I considered it practicable. For a start, as there was no data as to losses cover might be given for onlv half the risk, but it could be increased later. There would be no cost involved in collecting the fees, as this could be through the ordinary channels. A suggest’on for a levy on both sheep and dogs was put forward by Mr B. J. Moyle. Mr G. Cleland said that opposition' would be likely from the back-coun-j try sheepmen. Most damage was done near towns.