PREVENTION OF CRUELTY

Otago Daily Times, Issue 22293, 20 June 1934, Page 14

PREVENTION OF CRUELTY

MONTHLY MEETING OF SOCIETY The monthly meeting of the committee of the Otago Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals was held yesterday in the board room of the secretary (Mr E. S. Wilson), and was attended by the chairman (Mr Crosby Morris) and Messrs J. C. Willis, E. Fountain, E. C. Reynolds, W. Cooper, J. E. Diekison. A; Stewart, A. D. Sutherland, and G. L. Nelson. MOTION OF SYMPATHY.

Prior to commencing the business of the meeting the committee passed a resolution of sympathy with the Eev. W. Saunders in the bereavement suffered by him through the loss of his wife.

ALLEGED POISONING OF DOGS. A letter was received from Messrs Webb, Allan, Walker, and Anderson, advising that in terms of the Stock Act, 1908, any person casting or causing to be cast a carcass of any stock into a. stream, or wilfully leaving a. carcass or offal to lie about within half a mile of a highway was liable to a penalty. The writers pointed out that a client of theirs and two of his neighbours had suffered the loss of a number of valuable slieep dogs over the last two years. They alleged that the dogs had been maliciously enticed on to a neighbouring farm, there to-eat from unburied carcasses which had been impregnated with poison. There was no suggestion, it was understood, of these dogs having been given to sheep-worrying or that they had gone on to the alleged poisoner's, farm for any such purpose. Unfortunately, under the present statute a carcass could be left a few yards inside the half-mile mark, and would be immune from prosecution, whereas, in the English Statute, no such limitation was imposed.—Mr Fountain said that taking a broad view, if an owner let his dogs wander about at night as they wished, he had only himself to blame if they picked up poison. After all, half a mile was a fairly good distance away from a road—-Mr Stewart said that in the case instanced the owners of the dogs appeared largely to blame.—Mr Fountain said that the owner of sheep could hardly be expected to sit up all night looking after them. He was entitled to take some measures to protect them. On the other hand, a dog could not be shot merely for trespassing. A sheepowner had tlie right to shoot it only if he caught it in the act of worrying sheep.—Mr Sutherland disagreed with Mr Fountain, and maintained that an owner was entitled to shoot any strange dog he found wandering at large among his stock.—Mr Fountain- said that it would be a great help if they could get farmers to bury all their dead stock.— The chairman'; “ I’m afraid we shall never be able to do that.” —Mr. Willis, expressed the opinion that the matter referred to by the writers of the . letter was one for the police to attend to. He did not see that the society could take any action. —It was decided to reply, expressing regret that the law did not empower the society to take any action in the matter. GENERAL. A letter was received from the secretary of the University of London Animal Welfare Society, asking the committee to submit an account of the work of the Otago Society for ! incorporation in the Animal Year Book.—The secretary was instructed to supply the required information. • The inspector reported having received complaints from farmers, on the Peninsula that there was insufficient provision in the St. Kilda district for the,watering of stock travelling between the Peninsula and Burnside. In the neighbourhood of Tahuna Park or the St. Kilda tram terminus had been suggest’d as suitable sites for a watering trough. —lt was decided to write to the St. Kilda Borough Council, requesting it to have a trough erected between Tahuna and the St. Kilda tram terminus. INSPECTOR’S REPORT.

The inspector (Mr J. J. Hinehcliff) reported having carried out, during th« month, a comprehensive tour of inspection of the society’s district. Two cases of alleged cruelty to dogs had been investigated, but no cause for complaint had been found. Another dog with a broken leg had been destroyed. A complaint had been received that some schoolboys had tied a cat in a sugar bag and after throwing it about had ended by hurling the bag into a hedge. One boy had admitted throwing the bag around, but said he did not know that there was a cat in it. Further inquiries as to what had become of the cat revealed that it had run away. The father of the boy in question had chastised him. ‘Advice had been received that a large number of animals and pigeons belonging to a resident of Macandrew Bay were being starved and cruelly treated. The pigeons had been released, and the police, who had been inquiring into the matter, had notified that satisfactory arrangements had now been made for the care of the animals. Full inquiries had been made regarding the alleged starving of cattle at Balclutha, but no grounds for complaint had been found. ;

The report was adopted, and it was decided that the inspector and Mr Fountain make further inquiries into the case of alleged cruelty at Macandrew Bay.