Democratic Sentinel, Volume 8, Number 26, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 25 July 1884 — The Law in Regard to Animals. [ARTICLE]

The Law in Regard to Animals.

Ordinarily wild animals are not protected. Any man may hurt and kill them. In some places, however, regulations are made to protect certain kinds of animals from hunters, so that the species may not become extinct. Once confined and under the control of man, they become private property, and are protected as sneh. To take a deer out of a park, or a cow from a pasture, is stealing. The old Norman kings of England punished deer-stealing with death, but this law has been long a dead letter. Auimals that have a money value, such as cattle, sheep, and pigs, have always been considered, in law, as much private property as horses and • lambs. Pet animals, like dogs and cats, were formerly held of little account. The man who stole a cow conld be sent to prison for theft, but, if he stole a pet dog, lie conld not be prosecuted as a criminal. The owner, however, conld sue him and recover damages for tfie loss. In later years laws were passed to cover this defect. *

Owners of animals have always been li ble for any mischief their pets may commit. Formerly they were not liable unle a they knew their animals were dangerous. For example, the first time a dog killed sheep the owner was not obliged to pay, but the second time he was not excused. A man may ke§p a fierce dog to protect his house from burglars, but must see to it that the dog is chained. If, then, he bites a person who carelessly goes too near the kennel, the owner is not responsible. Modern laws hold a dog-owner responsible for the animal’s acts, even if he thinks that the dog is not vicious. Inasmuch as every dog is liable to become fierce, the law says that whoever keeps one must take his chances. Any person may kill a dog that attacks him while out of control of its owner. If the dog is worrying cattle or sheep, anybody may kill it. However, the dog is protected while on the land of its owner.

Now-a-days nearly all countries have laws providing dog-owners with licenses to keep their animals. Unless every dog has an owner who is responsible for it, much damage would be done for which no one could be called upon to pay. Under these laws, owners of unlicensed’tlogs may be fined. The dogs themselves are killed by public officers who are specially charged with the duty. In the ancient German empire a curious use was made of these animals. The Emperors Utho I. and Frederick Barba ossa condemned persons who were guilty of trying to stir up sedition, and disturb the peace of the public, to notoriety and derision. The offenders had to cast y a dog upon their shoulders f.om one g eat town to another. Uses of this kind are no longer in existence. Our dogs and other pets ai e dearer to us, in that we are obliged to take care of them.