1889.] PUBLIC DOCUMENT — No. 4. 69 



keep these dogs that kill sheep are generally irresponsible, 

 pecuniarily, when you trace them out. They are not people 

 to pay the damage, if they were prosecuted, and unless steps 

 of that kind are taken, why we must abandon sheep raising. 



Mr. HiCKOX of South Williamstown. I am glad this sub- 

 ject has come up to-day. I have had the same trouble in 

 our own section. The hills in western Massachusetts used 

 to be covered with sheep, four hundred and five hundred in 

 a flock ; but to-day we find no sheep in our town. The men 

 who used to keep sheep have their pasture idle ; they are 

 paying taxes on it, and are struggling along with their farm- 

 ing, and getting no benefit from it ; and, if you ask them 

 why they do not stock the pasture with sheep, they will tell 

 you they are afraid of dogs. The dogs are here, the dogs 

 are there ; and must we give up the sheep industry on ac- 

 count of the dogs? I think this is a question worthy of 

 being considered, and that we should not go away from here 

 and forget it, but should see that there is a remedy pro- 

 vided this coming winter to protect the men that want to 

 grow sheep in our State, but dare not for fear of the dog. 



Mr. Avery of Spencer. Speaking of dogs, our town was 

 overrun with dogs some few years ago, and farmers were 

 making bitter complaint on account of their losses. At the 

 annual town meeting Ave voted to increase" the tax to three 

 dollars, and it had a great effect in clearing out the little 

 yellow dogs. It had the effect of reducing dogs in our town 

 more than fifty per cent. I do not know whether we had 

 any legal right to do it or not ; but we did it, and have col- 

 lected it. [Laughter.] 



Dr. Sturtevant. I have a friend who is extremely am- 

 bitious for foxes. He was a sheep keeper, and used to 

 expose strychnine among the sheep to kill foxes ; and he 

 said, " you would be surprised to see how many dogs I kill." 

 It is a matter of taxation, because I think the dog owners 

 have some rights ; and, in a Democratic region or Republican 

 region, we ought not to put on a tax which is oppressive to 

 the poor man and not to the rich. But I think if the sug- 

 gestion of the society be modified to allow all dogs to be 

 killed, not shot, when found on your own property, the 

 result would be jjood. 



