THE SHEEP-KILLING DOG.' 



CONTENTS, 

 Page. 



Present status of the sheep industry 3 



Number of sheep killed by dogs 4 



Habits of the sheep-killing dog 4 



How dog lovers can aid 5 



Dog-proof fences 5 



Page. 



Dog laws 6 



Digest of existing State dog laws 11 



Complete dog laws of Pennsylvania and 



West Virginia 23 



PRESENT STATUS OF THE SHEEP INDUSTRY. 



Advancing prices for mutton, lamb, and wool have proved a stimu- 

 lus for increasing the number of sheep kept on farms in the United 

 States. Farmers in the East and in the Middle West are beginning 

 to realize that sheep fit in well with any system of intensified farming 

 and can be profitably kept without replacing other farm animals. 

 Scientific management has demonstrated that parasites of sheep, 

 once a source of great loss among flocks, are now within control by 

 the farmer. The use of pastures and forage crops as supplements 

 to the grain rations has been shown to be one of the most economical 

 methods of fattening lambs for market. The 70-pound lamb is 

 more popular today than ever before. Wool is in great demand at 

 the highest prices in the history of the country. The war needs of 

 the United States and her allies make it imperative that the numbers 

 of live stock be substantially increased. The whole of Europe is 

 contending with a great shortage of all classes of live stock and is 

 facing a problem in the rehabilitation of the supply of farm animals 

 that will not be solved for years after the war is over. The entire 

 world is in need of wool, and it will take some time after peace is 

 declared to restock the wool trade. The need of an increased meat 

 supply and the necessity of a greater wool supply should make the 

 sheep one of the most profitable of farm animals. 



In the past various reasons have been ascribed as the causes for 

 the constant decrease in the number of sheep kept on farms. The 

 competition with western range sheep, low values for both mutton 

 and wool, parasites internal and external, and greater profits to be 

 derived from dairying have all had their part in discouraging flock- 

 masters. But men who have entered the sheep business and have 

 failed to find the keeping of sheep profitable are agreed that one of 

 the greatest causes for their discouragement has been the sheep- 

 killing dog. 



The sheep-killing dog at the present time is still recognized as 

 the greatest enemy of the eastern sheep owner. Thousands of sheep 



i This bulletin supersedes Farmers' Bulletin 652. 



