200 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. [Pub. Doc. 



other locality where rabies exists is Boston, and some of the 

 cities and towns to the south and west. Orders to keep dogs 

 properly and securely muzzled or restrained from running 

 at large have been issued by the cities and towns of Newton, 

 Brookline, Watertown, Waltham, Weston, Wellesley, Need- 

 ham, Milton and Quincy. There seems to be at last a decided 

 intention on the part of the local authorities in most places 

 to enforce these orders. The mayor and aldermen of Boston 

 issued an order October 21 that dogs must be muzzled or 

 restrained from running at large for three months, but for 

 some reason it does not seem to have been enforced, and it 

 appears to have been a miserable and lamentable farce. It 

 is to be regretted that the principal city of the Commonwealth 

 cannot enforce such an order in co-operation with the sur- 

 rounding cities and towns. This is the second time in less 

 than two years that the Chief of the Cattle Bureau has suc- 

 ceeded in prevailing upon the local authorities in cities and 

 towns adjoining Boston to issue orders requiring dogs to be 

 properly and securely muzzled or restrained from running at 

 large when the mayor and aldermen of Boston have issued 

 similar orders, simply to have the best results obtainable 

 lost by the failure of the order in Boston to accomplish much 

 of anything. A few of the better citizens obey the order by 

 keeping their dogs on leash, or by providing suitable muzzles, 

 others use the figure 8 strap unriveted, which is not an 

 effective muzzle, while the lawless element in the community 

 pays absolutely no attention to the order whatever. 



The only other center of any importance just now is Salem, 

 where it is hoj^ed a muzzling order will be put in force. 



At a recent conference of the Brookline selectmen, the 

 chief of police of Brookline, the inspector of animals of the 

 town, and the Chief of the Cattle Bureau, it was decided 

 that the figure 8 strap arrangement could be made effective 

 by fitting it to the dog's nose and having it riveted, but when 

 it is not riveted it is not an effective muzzle. The wire and 

 other forms of strap muzzle are more desirable. A riveted 

 figure 8 strap muzzle tight enough to prevent a dog from bit- 

 ing would be a very uncomfortable hot weather muzzle. 



One of the largest losses to dog owners during the past year 



