SOCIETIES FOR THE PREVENTION 


OF CRUELTY TO ANIMALS.



THESE societies have been established in several of the States, in Canada, in different parts of Europe, in Calcutta, etc., and they seem to be doing a good work. 

Who has not been pained to see, while passing along the street, the cruelty manifested by men to the dumb creatures under their care ! And to put a stop to these hard-hearted, barbarous acts is indeed a work of humanity; and this is just what these societies are doing.

They have agents who are authorized to act for them in cases of distress among the brute creation. If animals are astray and suffering, and no owner can be found, it is the duty of the agents to relieve their sufferings. Also, animals, not astray, but suffering for food, are fed by the agents at the expense of the society. Agents have no right to kill an animal, whatever its condition, without the consent of its owner, but they may take possession of it by making an arrest.

Severe measures against the guilty are avoided whenever possible, and much is done by way of suggestions and warnings ; but in all cases of aggravated and persistent cruelty, the prosecution of the guilty party always follows. As specimens of the work of these societies, we give the following: 

There was sold recently in Boston, at public auction, a horse which was the property of the United States government. He was believed to be about forty-eight years old, and had been at the Watertown arsenal for thirty-nine years. He sold for sixteen dollars; but the Massachusetts Society, thinking that he was too old and infirm to work longer, bought him of his new owner for twenty dollars, and shot him.

The agricultural fair held in Belchertown, Massachusetts, has usually been the scene of much lawlessness and gross abuse of horses on the part of those who have congregated there every year with these animals for the purpose of trading. So general were the complaints, the aid of the society was invoked, and they were able to put an end to these disgraceful scenes.

Two boys were found stoning a poor little kitten. The boys were reported to their parents, and told that if they indulged in such amusement again they would not go unpunished, and the kitten was taken to the home of the agent, where it was fed and its wounds dressed.

A monthly paper entitled Our Dumb Animals is published at Boston in the interests of these societies, setting forth their object, reporting their work, and giving well authenticated anecdotes of the cunning, reason, and love manifested by the animal creation.


 V. A. M.


CONTACT with the good never fails to 

impart good, and we carry away with us 

some of the blessing, as travelers' garments 

retain the odor of the flowers and shrubs 

through which they have passed.