﻿12 BULLETIN 20, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 



majority of them, were interested in the industry the dog would stand 

 a poorer show of doing any damage. 



A number of sheep bells should be used in the flock. The sheep 

 bell serves as a warning when the flock is being disturbed. The num- 

 ber of bells will depend upon the size of the flock, but with the ordi- 

 nary farm flock from two to six bells are sufficient. 



The elimination of the cur dog needs no further comment. Each 

 farmer should be governed by his own conditions. Farmers in many 

 localities have made use of the telephone in informing their neighbors 

 of the appearance of stray dogs and much damage has been averted 

 as a result. 



DOG LAWS. 



A more rigidly enforced dog law would rid the country of many of 

 the worthless mongrels. The present taxes on dogs are too often 

 evaded. The following extract from the dog laws of Great Britain 

 is taken from the Canadian Department of Agriculture's report upon 

 the sheep industry and is worthy of consideration in enacting more 

 rigid dog -laws. 



Dog laws in Great Britain are very simple and very effective. In England and 

 Scotland the license fee is 7 shillings and 6 pence ($1.80) a year. Everyone must pay 

 this license, rich and poor alike, because the law is strictly enforced. Sheep dogs, 

 however, are exempt under certain conditions. If a farmer can prove that he has 

 sufficient sheep and cattle to make it necessary for him to keep a trained dog, he 

 applies for an exemption form and fills it out. When this has been handed to the 

 officer in charge of the nearest inland revenue office, he gets an exemption certificate 

 for that year. If the farmer keeps a sporting dog or a pet dog, no exemption is 

 granted. 



In Ireland the license fee is 5 shillings ($1.20) a year, and no exemption whatever. 

 Blind persons in any part of the United Kingdom can also obtain an exemption cer- 

 tificate, providing they can satisfy the authorities that they possess a dog trained to 

 lead them on the highway. The license is not collected for pups under 6 months 

 old. and special arrangements are provided for registered packs of hounds. Licenses 

 are issiied at every post office, as at the inland revenue offices. Every dog must wear 

 a collar, to which is attached a small brass disk bearing the owner's name and address 

 and the license number. 



Dogs found straying about towns and villages without their owner or other guardian 

 may be seized by the police and, after being detained for three days, unclaimed, are 

 destroyed. When they are claimed the owner is required to pay all expenses incurred 

 during that time. In this connection dog homes are maintained in all towns and vil- 

 lages for the purpose. Although the dog laws are rigorously enforced, they are so 

 well observed that legal actions are very '-are. 



Sheep worrying by dogs is scarcely known in agricultural districts, and most farmers 

 we interviewed had never had a case of this nature. In some localities adjoining 

 towns and villages they are not so free from this trouble. Such cases are mostly found 

 in congested mining districts, where useless idle dogs are often found. Sporting dogs 

 are also a source of danger, but they are usually well guarded. 



Whenever a case of sheep worrying does occur, and the dog is caught in the act, he 

 may be shot at once, but in cases where valuable dogs are caught in mischief, such as 

 fox hounds, the farmer generally traces them to their owner, who gladly meets all 

 the farmer's claims rather than suffer the loss of the dog. When, in other instances, 



