20 ANIMAL COMPETITORS 
not. only rats, mice, and small vermin of all 
sorts should be killed, but also dogs and cats.. 
An ordinance by the authorities at. Winchester, 
England, in 1583, is typical of many others 
issued in British towns, viz.: 
‘‘That if any house within this cytie shall happen 
to be infected with the Plague, that thene every per- 
sone.to keepe within his or her house every his or 
her dogg, and not to suffer them to goo at large. 
And if any dogge be then founde at large, it shall 
be lawful for the Beadle or any other person to kill 
the same dogg, and that any owner of such dogg 
going, at large shall lose six shillings.’’ 
Among the records of King’s Lynn, under 
May, 1585, appears this: 
‘‘For as muche as it hath pleased Allmightie God 
to begynn to send us his visitacion with sickness 
amongst us, and that dogges and cattes are thought 
verie unfitt to be suffered in. this tyme. Therefore 
Mr. Maior, aldermen, and common councell have or- 
dered and decreed that every inhabitant within the 
same Towne shall forthwith take all their dogges and 
yappes and hange them or kill them and earrye them 
to some out-place and burye them for breadings of a’ 
great annoyance. And likewise for cattes, if there be 
any nigh unto any house or houses visited with sick- 
ness. . . . It is ordered that the cattes shall furth- 
with be killed in all such places.’’ An exception was 
