STRAY DOGS.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CXVII, Issue 18132, 25 June 1919, Page 7

STRAY DOGS.

CITY COUNCIL'S CAMPAIGN

DISCUSSED BY S.P.C.A;

At the monthly meeting of the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, held last night,- the inspector (Mr D. J. White) reported that he had visited the City Council's, yard at the corner of Montreal Street and Moorbouse Avenue tor the purpose of inspecting the captured ciogs. . On June 11 8 clogs wvvo coiicctcd, bi which 1 0 were claimed and 1 w«6 still on hand. On June 19 t> were colrleeted, of which 4 were claimed and 2 were on hand. On June- 21 11 wfere collected, 3 of which, were claimed and 8 were still in hand. Tht. total number of dogs collected -so far by the council had been 25, which had been brought in from the streets by the City Council employees. The latest scale of charges was as follows:—Five shillings for ,im~ poundage, is per day for board, and >i unregistered 10s for all dogs, except cattle and sheep • dogs, in which case the charge is 2s Gd. ■ In the opinion of the inspectors, all the-dogs which had been collected-wcr_ in the pink of condition and could not be classed as stray neglected dogs; only prisoners for walking the public stieets. The clogs under detention were being well fed and'cared for. A great many people who had. lost dogs had [either telephoned or called on him, and he had directed them to call at the council yard, and in,four instances they had found their pots there. He considered that the City Council should advertise particulars of dogs detained,- as a.great. many people did not know where to go to identify them. . He doubted very much whether, if it came to a point oi taw, the City Council had power to detain registered dogs and charge' a fee, and as far as he knew there vr6t>\ no law to compel the closs to wear then registration collars; as the registration certificate did not contain any instruction to this effect.

Another matter which lie considered was worthy of attention was that the man in charge of the dogs had informed him that no entry was made in a book, giving a description of "the "dogs which were captured. All unclaimed dogs were drowned in a tank in the yard after six days' detention. Several members expressed the opinion that a more humane method should bo adopted of destroying the dogs, and a lethal chamber was suggested. ; The chairman (Mr J. O. Jameson,, said that a lethal chamber had been used for a good many years, bub was as tlie cost was considered too great. .. as decided to write to the Citv Electrical Engineer and ask for information as to whether it would be possible to destroy the animals by a system of electrocution. In the report of the Animals' Home, which is conducted bv the society, it was stated that of five' strav dogs admitted two had been sold and three.had been claimed, and it was considered by the members as quite unnece«snrv for thto'C'itv Covncil'ti enrrv out anv campaign for the collection of dogs from the streets.