SHEEP WORRYING.

Mount Ida Chronicle, Volume 30, Issue 9186, 13 October 1899, Page 6

SHEEP WORRYING.

A prominent resident at Ranfuriy writes complaining that considerable damage his been done amongst sheep in the neighbourhood by straggling dogs, of which he says there are a large number apparently unregistered. He has written to the County Council requesting then to authorise him to destroy all such dogs, and to insert-a! notice in the Chronicle prior to the issue of such authority, . instructing owners to put registered collars on their dogs. He states that early action in the matter is needed. This question of damage to flocks by dogs has been a burning one with pastoralists in this districts tor some time past, and owners of dogs have received many warnings through our columns lately to take precautions to prevent these animals from roaming at large and causing such an amount ottdamage and annoyance to their neighbours, but apparently with little effect. We doubt that little will be done to übate the nuisance until some such acton as desired by our correspondent is taken. For the benefit of those who are too indifferent to take the trouble to keep their dogs at home, we quote a few sections bearing on the subject from " The Dog Registration Act, 1880" : 13. Dogs without collars having the proper registration-labels thereon shall prima facie be deemed to be unregistered, and any person or his agent upon whose land such dog may be found, or any person duly authorised by the local authority, may destroy any such dog. 16. If any dog shall, on any highway or any unenclosed place, rush at, attack, or startle any person or any horse, cattle, or other animal, whereby the life or limbs of any person shall be endangered, or any property be injured or endangered, such dog shall be Jhi hie 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 than five pounds for every such offence, over and above the amount of any damage which such dog may have occasioned. 17. Any person who shall see a dog, being at large, biting or attacking any person, or any horse, sheep, or cattle, or who shall himself be bitten or attacked by such dog, may destroy the same, without being answerable for damage occasioned thereby.

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 a clog running at large amongst such cattle or sheep. 19. The owner of every dog shall be liable in damages for injuries done by his dog, and it shall not be necessrry for the party seeking damages to show a previous mischievous propensity in such dog, or the owner's knowledge of sich mischievous propensity, or that the injury was attributable to neglect on the part of the owner of the dog. 21. If any person shall, after the first day of January in every year, have in his following or keep any dog wearing a label issued in any previous year, which dog shall not have been registered for the then current year, such person shall be liable to a penalty of not exceeding five pounds. And if any person shall have in his following or keep any dog wearing a label issued in rpspect of another dog, such person shall be liable to a penalty of not exceeding ten pounds.