FILTHY WITH DOGS

Timaru Herald, Volume CXLVII, Issue 21403, 21 July 1939, Page 4

FILTHY WITH DOGS

Waimate Borough Collarless Animals To Be Destroyed WAIMATE. July 20. "The town is filthy with does." commented the Mayor ’Mr George Dash’ at a meeting of lhe Waimate Borough Council to-night. "I suggest that we should pass a resolution authorising the staff to destroy every collarless dog in the town." Mr Dash added that a recent case of sheep worrying in which 50 ewes iiad been killed and others seriously injured had been traced to dogs belonging to Waimate. The Council adopted his suggestion with regard to the destruction of collarless dogs. After Mr C. W. Dickson had mentioned that, something should be done about the dog nuisance in Waimate. Mr Dash said a big question had been opened up. Recently he had been interviewed by a man who had lost 50 ewes out of a flock of 600 as the result of worrying done by dogs belonging to the borough. Seven dogs responsible for the worrying had been traced to Waimate. and not one of them had been registered. "Nobody can tell me why a labouring man in the poorest circumstances should have three mongrel dogs around to go out tearing up sheep," he stated. A Councillor: A shocking thing. The Mayor: Haven't we a regulation that no dog should be on the streets at night without being on a leash? The Town Clerk ’Mr B. S. Runciman) : That applies to parks, but it could apply to the town.

Mr P. G. Berry: If you try to dodge a stray dog on the street with a car. you are liable to hit a pedestrian. Mr Dickson: Some of those people with so many dogs are laughing at the Borough Council. Tire Mayor: The filthiness of the town because of dogs is beyond a joke.

It is no use passing resolutions unless you can enforce them. I suggest, that we should pass a resolution authorising the staff to destroy every collarless dog in the town during and after August.

The Town Clerk: Those collarless dogs around the town are very difficult to get hold of. You can’t shoot them about the streets. It is exceedingly dangerous to try shooting them around the borough. The Mayor: "You offer a boy 2'6 as

a reward for bringing in a certain dog for you. and I'll bet that he will catch it.” Referring again to the case where sheep had been worried, he said the dogs had belonged to people whom it was useless to sue for damages. The

sheep owner affected would not know the full extent of his loss until the lambing season was over.

Mr J. A. Atwill remarked that he had used blank cartridges to frighten dogs away from his place. The Mayor: We will make the reward 2- in your case, Mr Atwill. seeing that vou have so many dogs to deal with.