122 HANDBOOK OF NATURE STUDY 



often a man's laziness and thoughtlessness inflict much 

 suffering upon animals. Horses are left on the streets 

 unblanketed on a cold winter day for hours at a time. 

 Cattle are compelled to spend the nights in wet, dirty 

 yards ; poultry is shut up in foul-smelling coops, which have 

 not been cleaned for years, and are full of vermin besides. 

 The poor hogs are occasionally confined in sties where the 

 mud is a foot deep. All our animals should have free 

 access to reasonably clean water unless it is abundantly 

 furnished in their food. A part of the foul pond water, 

 which a cow is forced to drink, man drinks with that cow's 

 milk. Animals prefer reasonably clean water, but do not 

 like it very cold ; and they all thrive better with reasonably 

 clean housing. 



It is also brutal to overwork animals without a very good 

 reason. Driving a fire-horse to death in order to save 

 human life and valuable property may be justified; but 

 one who overworks a beast without such good reason should 

 be put behind the bars, where he belongs. 



