Reports come in qnite frequently from
farmers in the surrounding towns of the
depredations and havoc committed in
their flocks of sheep by vicious dogs,
whose owners apparently allow the ca
nines to roam about as much as they
please without any attempt to muzzle
them and in some cases without having
them duly licensed according to law.
Last Thursday at the Rathlin farm in
Pomfret eighteen fine and,highly-prized
sheep were bitten so badly by dogs that
the sheep were severely lacerated and
reudered worthless to the owner. This
is only one iustance of late where dogs
have caused loss to the farmers and it is
time steps were taken to have all dogs
that wauder about suitably muzzled.
The sheep industry at present in New
England is not nearly as profitable or as
extensive as it might be, owing to the
fact that dogs are allowed to roam at
will, and many owners have been ob
liged to abandon sheep-raising on that
account. It does not seem fair or just
that an industry which could be carried
on successfully and to a much greater
extent throughout New Kugland should
be hampered and made unprofitable and
useless in many places in order that an
animal of no value as a food product or
productive of no real income to the
farmer should have unlimited freedom.
The dog is all right in its place but it
should not be allowed to interfere with
the successful pursuit of anything that
tends to increase the stability or reve
nue of our farming interests. If tho
owners of canines will not look after
them and the laws are not sufficient to
protect the farmer, then it is .time the
fanners combined to secure their
rights.
