702 THE IMPROPRIETY OF MUZZLING DOGS. 
succeeded in producing disease by inoculation with the saliva 
of these dogs, although he had tried it repeatedly. Is it wise, 
then, in the municipal authorities to call forth and foster fears 
and prejudices that may occasionally lead to consequences so 
serious] To revert, however, to the dog-days. Woe be, 
then, to the poor animal found abroad without his master, and 
particularly should his appearance be at all singular. He is 
suffering, it may be, from excessive heat or fatigue, with tongue 
protruded and the foam dropping from his lips, or from some 
of the many nervous affections that occasionally accompany 
distemper, as chorea or epilepsy ; and somebody who has the 
fear of the dog-days before his eyes fancies the poor creature 
rabid. There is a cry of “ mad dog,” and the whole parish is 
in a state of alarm. Should the poor animal be unable to get 
away, he is brutally and savagely destroyed at once ; and even 
should he escape from the crowd a similar fate awaits him. 
He is pursued by the mob, who, armed with all sorts of 
weapons, and gathering strength and numbers as they proceed, 
at length overtake him, and he is put to death, his valiant 
destroyers doubtless pluming themselves on having “ done the 
state some service.” But the evil does not end here. The 
local newspapers report the destruction of a rabid dog, and 
caution the public. The whole country is alarmed ; every 
parish has its so-called “ mad dog,” and hundreds of valuable 
and faithful and harmless animals are thus sacrificed to a po- 
pular error. This is no imaginary case. It is one which 
occurs every year in nearly every town of England. I have 
myself frequently witnessed the destruction of dogs under these 
circumstances, and am satisfied that in no such case has there 
been the slightest reason for supposing the animal to be in 
reality rabid. I protest, therefore, against such senseless 
cruelty. 
And now I shall, probably, be met by the grand argument — 
“ But no matter whether rabid or not, he is muzzled, and can, 
therefore, do no harm.” Let no one entertain even this delu- 
sion any longer. Where the law has no foundation in reason, 
depend upon it some means will be found to evade it. A sim- 
ple examination of the dogs to be met with in any street will 
explain how this is done. In some cases it will be found that 
the mouth-strap of the muzzle is elastic, so as to admit of the 
free motion of the jaws; in others, so slack as to be of no avail; 
and in none tight enough to prevent the animal from inflicting a 
wound with his teeth. The dog is merely annoyed, whilst it is 
presumed that the mayor is conciliated. The letter of the law 
is observed, and no more. And this is well ; for if it were 
otherwise the consequences might be more serious. 
