8 FARMERS' BULLETIN 935. 



such tags when the dog tax is paid, and a few furnish collars also. 

 The practice of requiring the name of the owner of the dog to be 

 stamped on the tag is to be commended, as it aids materially in estab- 

 lishing the identity of any dog caught in an act of wrongdoing. It is 

 an easy matter for anyone to misread the number of a license. 



DESTROYING THE SHEEP-KILLING DOG. 



With few exceptions, the State laws allow anyone to kill a dog 

 caught in the act of chasing, killing, or worrying sheep on land not 

 owned by the owner of the dog. It is a provision which should be 

 included in all State laws. Other conditions under which some, of 

 the States permit such dogs to be killed by anyone are : 



1. When found at large unattended and without a collar bearing 

 the registry number. 



2. When found at large after having been proved to be sheep 

 killers. 



3. When found at large and unattended, between sunset and sun- 

 rise, on a farm where sheep are kept. 



Many States have laws making it a misdemeanor punishable by 

 fine or imprisonment to keep* a dog which is known to have killed 

 sheep. 



A clause such as that found in Pennsylvania's dog law (enacted in 

 1917) requiring all dogs not under control to be confined between 

 sunset and sunrise is highly desirable. Most of the damage by dogs 

 is done at night, and it would seem that if such a law is effectually 

 carried out the menace to the live-stock industry will be materially 

 curtailed. Well-bred dogs and dogs highly prized by their owners 

 are usually kept confined or restrained by their masters voluntarily ; 

 consequently such a clause works no great hardship on the owners of 

 such dogs. 



COMPENSATION TO SHEEP OWNERS. 



The most recent laws provide for compensating the sheep owner 

 from the dog-tax fund for losses caused by dogs. Damages are 

 usually appraised by two or three disinterested persons appointed by 

 the justice of the peace and residing in the locality wherein the loss 

 has been sustained. In appraising the damage it is desirable to 

 allow the full value. 



Practically all of the States hold the dog owner liable for damages 

 done by his dog. While this is a good clause, it should not supplant 

 compensation by the State. The dog owner should be held liable to 

 the State for damages paid out by the State. To one unfamiliar 

 with the workings of dog laws it may seem that holding the dog 

 owner liable is an effective method of protecting the flockmaster, but 

 it must be remembered that in very few instances is it possible to 

 ascertain the owner of the dog which has done the damage. Without 

 compensation by the State the sheep owner has small protection from 

 the dog nuisance. 



