TO LICENSE CATS

Hawera Star, Volume XLV, 5 December 1925, Page 11

TO LICENSE CATS

T m '; it OHO (>f to lice (-oncost ion of motor traffic .is jailing us into strange by-ways — them the proposal in Edinburgh iso cats.

of cats ami dogs in tlic streets leads to danger to motorists and with him to the pedestrians among wltom he must steer his way. In Edinburgh the duties of policemen, especially in regard to the increasing street traffic, have recently led to demands for an increase of staff, and the suggested new addition to their burden is not likely to be viewed with favour by authorities from «.■ financial point of view. The question is also made more difficult by the fact that Edinburgh's recently-extended boundaries include a large farming area. Eat campaigns have been periodically promoted, and the farmer’s best assistant in keeping down rats is the cat. Cats under such circumstances bring up their progeny in outbuildings and elsewhere, and the licensing of the young animals would add to the farmers’ already numerous difficulties. The problem of keeping dogs and cats in Edinburgh itself is complicated too by the fiat system. A large majority of Edinburgh people live in three or four-storey tenements, with common and restricted ground at the back. In spite of these difficulties the city is

AN .EDINBURGH PJROPOSAJ

not<*«l for its large number ol‘ rats ami (.logs. The dogs are usually well looked after, but eats arc often left to shift for themselves in holiday times. How licensing would abate this evil is not too clear, but the supposition is that anyone taking the trouble to take out a license would be sufficiently interested in his cat to look after it properly. The risk of keeping cats without a license would probably lead to the readier and more general dispatch of kittens. The Prevention of Cruelty Society have at present in Edinburgh two uniformed women whose sole duty is to collect stray cats about the streets and backyards. The Scottish Society for the Proven tion of Cruelty to Animals last year dealt with 48(52 unwanted cats. More than half were' nameless and the majority were diseased. This year the society have already destroyed MO 91 cats, stray, diseased and unwanted. It is for that reason the Edinburgn Town Council are considering a proposal that all cats in their area should be licensed. 'The proposal is that licenses should be required for keeping cats, and that a fee of one shilling should be charged for each cat. Aby person keeping a cat without a license would he subject to prosecution, and police officers would be empowered to seize stray cats.