THE DOG AND THE LAW. 



563 



the simple reason that there would be no 

 necessity for them to frequent any such 

 places. 



There are all sorts of rumours and state- 

 ments, however, about the enormous increase 

 of stray dogs since the Act came into opera- 

 tion, attributable, it is said, to the fact that 

 the poorer classes who do not understand 

 the Act, and have no means of doing so, are 

 so afraid of getting into trouble over it that 

 they turn their dogs out into the streets, 

 lose, and disown them. There is, however, 

 one class of persons who hail with delight 

 the passing of the Act. They — the anti-vivi- 

 sectionists — feel they have scored a point, in 

 that sub-section 5 of section 3 enacts that 

 no seized dog shall be given or sold for the 

 purposes of vivisection, though looking at 

 it fairly it is difficult to see why the owner- 

 less street cur should be the only dog so 

 favoured. 



Importation 

 of Dogs. 



The power of making Orders 

 dealing with the importation 

 of dogs :s vested in the Board of Agri- 

 culture, who have absolute authority in 

 the matter. They from time to time issue 

 somewhat voluminous orders, the result of 

 which is that any importation of a dog is 

 attended with considerable difficulty and 

 expense. 



The initial step to be taken by a person 

 wishing to import any dog into Great Britain 

 from any other country excepting Ireland, 

 the Channel Islands, and the Isle of Man, 

 is that he must fill up an application form 

 to the said Board, which he has previously 

 obtained from them, in which he applies 

 for a licence to land the dog under the con- 

 ditions imposed by the Board, which he 

 undertakes to obey. 



On the form he has to give a full descrip- 

 tion of the dog, the name and address of the 

 owner, the proposed port of landing, and 

 the approximate date of landing, and further 

 from lists which he will receive from the 

 Board he must select the carrying agents 

 he proposes should superintend the move- 

 ment of the dog from the port of landing to 

 the place of detention, and also the premises 

 of a veterinary surgeon on which he proposes 



the dog shall be detained and isolated as 

 required by the Order. With regard to this 

 latter the Board have already approved 

 certain premises for the purpose, viz. at 

 Croydon, Mitcham, Southampton, and Liver- 

 pool ; but any premises in the occupation of 

 a veterinary surgeon may be proposed and 

 approved if found suitable. An imported 

 dog must be landed and taken to its place of 

 detention in a suitable box, hamper, crate 

 or other receptacle, and as a general rule 

 has to remain entirely isolated for a 

 period of six months. An Order of the 

 Board dated 12th December, 1901, gives 

 full particulars as to the importation of 

 dogs, and will be sent to anyone applying 

 to the Board for it. Noticeable under it is 

 the fact that the article dealing with the 

 detention and isolation of a dog does not 

 apply to " an imported dog which is showai 

 to the satisfaction of the Board to be a bond 

 fide performing dog " (why any such dog 

 should be so favoured in preference to other 

 much more valuable animals it seems hard 

 to understand), " or to an imported dog 

 which is intended to be exported within 

 forty-eight hours after its landing." 



The Order does not say so, but it is a fact 

 that a dog belonging to any person in the 

 Diplomatic Service of any other country will 

 be allowed into this country, and is not 

 subject to any of the importation rules. 



Another matter which is not referred to 

 in the said Order, and about which the Board 

 is very reticent, is that there is an alter- 

 native to detention and isolation. This was 

 brought in under the last Ministry, and it 

 is highly probable that on account of its 

 objectionable features very few people have 

 availed themselves of it. A dog under it 

 has for a certain period to wear a suit of 

 harness sealed by a Board inspector, so that he 

 can be at once identified ; a sum of money 

 has to be deposited with the Board, the dog 

 has to be muzzled, and the Board has always 

 to know his whereabouts for the purposes of 

 periodical inspection. Whether this alterna- 

 tive is still allowed or not is unknown to the 

 writer ; all he knows is that several letters 

 written on his behalf to the Board a few 

 months ago, asking for information on the 



