DIGEST OF EXISTING STATE DOG LAWS. 



For the guidance of those who are interested in promoting legis- 

 lation against sheep-killing dogs, there is presented here a digest of 

 the existing dog laws of each State. This resume does not set forth 

 every item of the laws, but features the more important clauses as 

 related to the protection of sheep. 



ALABAMA. 



Enacted 1915. 



All dogs in Alabama over four months old are taxed $1 per head. The dogs 

 are listed by the tax assessor and the taxes are collected as other taxes are. 

 The law provides that owners of sheep who suffer losses from dogs report the 

 loss to the district justice of the peace. The justice of the peace appoints two 

 disinterested freeholders to examine and appraise the damages and the 

 county pays the farmers the amount of the appraisement. Dog owners are 

 held liable for damages done to persons if the damage is done off the dog 

 owner's premises. Licensed dogs are given the same protection as other live 

 stock. No person is allowed to keep a dog which has been known to kill or 

 worry sheep and no action can be maintained against anyone for killing such 

 a dog. Persons knowingly keeping a sheep-killing dog are liable for double the 

 amount of the damages sustained. Indemnities for damage are taken from 

 the dog tax fund. A further provision is that dogs must be confined at all 

 times unless accompanied by their owners, but this provision must be adopted 

 by the courts of the different counties before it is in force. 



ARIZONA. 



Revised Statutes of 1901 and Code of 1913. 



The owner or keeper of any male dog four months old or over within one 

 mile of the postoffice of any town of 1,500 population or more is required to 

 pay a fee of $1 and for females $2. The constable of each precinct lists the 

 dogs. Licensed dogs are required to wear a collar bearing a metal tag with the 

 current year stamped on it, and the law requires that all dogs found at large 

 without collars and tags be killed. No one can shoot, cripple, or poison a licensed 

 dog. Moneys derived from the dog tax are used toward the public school 

 fund. Cities and towns may also impose a license tax and adopt ordinances re- 

 straining dogs from running at large. No provisions are made to compensate 

 owners of sheep for losses sustained through dogs. 



ARKANSAS. 



Enacted 1887. From " Digest of Statutes," 1916. 



Arkansas empowers the council of any municipal corporation to place a tax 

 on dogs, prevent them from running at large, and to authorize the destruction 

 of dogs at its discretion. The owner of a dog is held liable for damages to 

 sheep which are committed by the dog. If the sheep owner recognizes the dog 

 and knows to whom it belongs, he takes action against the owner through the 

 justice of the peace. Dog owners are liable for double the amount of damages 

 done to sheep for a second offense committed by a dog belonging to the same 

 owner. 



CALIFORNIA. 



1872. Civil Code, 1915. 



All male dogs in the State which are over four months old are subject to a 

 tax of $1, and all females over four months of age, $3. The dogs are listed 

 by the assessors and taxes collected as other taxes. For each additional male 



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