236 MANUAL FOR YOUNG SPORTSMEN. 



horses, or other accidents arising from riding or driving, 

 and two hundred from firing guns at little birds and can- 

 non at political meetings, for one that dies of the bite of a 

 rabid dog. Cruel of course those laws are, which enjoin 

 the promiscuous slaughter of the most intelligent, faithful, 

 industrious, affectionate, and almost reasoning friend of man. 

 Demoralizing any laws must be, which authorize the pay- 

 ment to wretched street boys, and vagrants, and homeless 

 men, for the cold-blooded massacre of unresisting animals. 

 But it is of course useless to address any argument to the 

 common sense, or any appeal to the humanity of city 

 governments. De non apparentibus et non exisientibus 

 eadem est ratio.* 



All that remains to do, therefore, for the town dwell- 

 er, is to make the best of it, and provide for his dogs as 

 much space, as much air, as much exercise and as much 

 water as may be. 



Cleanliness is not only a cardinal virtue, but a cardinal 

 preservative of health and condition. Every dog should 

 have his separate lodging ; nothing is better than the ordi- 

 nary old-fashioned, double, gable-ended dog-house. 



It should not have a bottom attached to it, but should 

 be movable, for facilitating cleanliness, and should stand 

 on a board platform. If whitewashed within and without 

 once or twice a year, so much the better. The process will 

 keep down the growth of vermin. 



The best bed that can be given to dogs, is carpenters' 



* Concerning things which do not appear, and things which do 

 not exist, the reasoning is the same. 



