236 MANUAL FOR YOUNG SPORTSMEN. 
horses, or other accidents arising from riding or driving, 
and two hundred from firing guns at little birds and can- 
non at political meetings, for one that dies of the bite of a 
rabid dog. Cruel of course those laws are, which enjoin 
the promiscuous slaughter of the most intelligent, faithful, 
industrious, affectionate, and almost reasoning friend of man. 
Demoralizing any laws must be, which authorize the pay- 
ment to wretched street boys, and vagrants, and homeless 
men, for the cold-blooded massacre of unresisting animals. 
But it is of course useless to address any argument to the 
common sense, or. any appeal to the humanity of city 
governments. De non apparentibus et non existentibus 
eadem est ratio.* 
All that remains to do, therefore, for the town dwell- 
er, is to make the best of it, and provide for his dogs as 
much space, as much air, as much exercise and as much 
water as may be. 
Cleanliness is not only a cardinal virtue, but a cardinal 
preservative of health and condition. Every dog should 
have his separate lodging ; nothing is better than the ordi- 
nary old-fashioned, double, gable-ended dog-house. 
It should not have a bottom attached to it, but should 
be movable, for facilitating cleanliness, and should stand 
on a board platform. If whitewashed within and without 
once or twice a year, so much the better. The process will 
keep down the growth of vermin. 
The best bed that ean be given to dogs, is carpenters’ 
* Concerning things which do not appear, and things which do 
not exist, the reasoning is the same, 
