To the Editor of The Standard
Sir,—I trust the advocates of the diminution of the number of pet Dogs will not be deterred from their useful efforts by any outcry about their want of sympathy with a noble animal, or even by the charge of discourtesy to ladies, in adopting St. Paul’s phrase, “silly women”! The Dog at his best is noble indeed; and has some human virtues—such as unselfishness and forgiveness of injuries—in a degree that few men ever attain to. The Dog, at his worst, the overfed and ill-tempered pet that ladies delight in, is about as mean a thing as the animal race has to show.
As to this danger of personal suffering, and even of the terrible maledy hydrophobia, that this increasing craze for pet Dogs entails on all friends of the crazy owners, I can speak feelingly. Twice, after calling on lady friends, I have been attended down the gravel-walk by a savage Dog, and have only escaped a severe bite by the thickness of cloth trousers—the cloth itself being torn to rags: and twice, in the drawing-rooms of lady friends I have been attacked by a pet Dog—the Dog being, on one occasion, in the first stage of rabies, which necessitated its being shot the same afternoon. But what I wish to speak of now is the enormous waste of human food caused by this excessive cultus of pet Dogs.
No doubt the philo-doggist will plead “It is, in each particular case, so small a quantity. It is but the crumbs that fall from the rich man’s table!” Well, but add up the sum-total of those crumbs throughout the land, and see how many poor people, who are at their wits’ end to keep body and soul together, they would provide for. And if it be urged “how are the needy mouths and the food be brought together?” one can but reply, “If you took half the pains to find out the hungry paupers that surround you which you take to pamper the bloated pets that monopolise all your attention, you would not find you had many crumbs to spare!”
If, by opening your columns to this subject, you can lead the way to a heavier Dog-tax, to the diminution of Dog Shows, or to any humane expedient for reducing the plague of Dogs, you will have done a good deed.
I am, Sir, your obedient servant,
Lewis Carroll.
April 9.