A WORD FOR THE DOG.

Timaru Herald, Volume CXXV, Issue 18609, 3 July 1930, Page 12

A WORD FOR THE DOG.

To the Editor of the “ Timaru Herald.” Sir, —With regard to the letter of “Shattered Ears’' in your yesterday’s issue, I am not contemplating taking sides as regards the human element, but there is another issue, that of the dog himself, whom ‘‘Shattered Ears” writes so unfeelingly about and designates as “things,” etc. The dog was probably only voicing his protest 1 the only means at his command, against the conditions imposed on him by unthinking humans ,or they may have not been unthinking, but have been forced by the interference of neighbours, to keep him tied up for unreasonable lengths of time. Any dog, when once broken to the chain, will submit without complaint, to a reasonable term of confinement, if given comfortable quarters and access to water, but on the other hand, it is both unreasonable and inhuman to expect or compel a dog to be for days, and especially nights, on the chain without warmth and comfort in the cold we are experiencing at present. If “Shattered Ears” doubts my word, let him try a spell of it himself, and I will guarantee he will do more than bark and howl. I myself was forced last winter, in a very cold locality, to lie awake for hours, hearing the pitiful wailing of dogs lamenting their misery of being tied up, under what conditions I do not know, in the bitter cold, but it was not thoughts of my own aurol discomfort that kept me awake, but, to adopt “Shattered Ears” rather exaggerated phraseology, “Torn Heart” would have more fittingly expressed my state of feeling. I think these cases are more fitted for the S.P.C.A. than for civil action, and I would suggest to “Shattered Ears,” a little more neighbourly toleration, a little more kindly feeling for the third party, and to the owners of the dogs, a little more care for the comfort of their canine friends when forced to be confined, a longer chain, perhaps a shed instead, more frequent runs, a word of admonition sometimes, of consolation at others, of more comradeship generally, and I am sure the matter will right itself without the need for a civil action.—l am, etc., BOTTOM DOG. Timaru, July 2.