THE MUZZLING ORDER.
LTO THE EDITOR OF THE "SPECTATOR."]
SIR,—As you are so kindly admitting letters from corre- spondents protesting against the compulsory muzzling of dogs, will you allow me to inform your readers of an arrangement found to work very satisfactorily on the Continent? Many years ago I was in Dresden, having with me a small Blenheim spaniel. Although only there for a few days, I was obliged to send my dog to the police-station, where, on the payment of a trifling sum, a small leaden badge was fastened to his collar, bearing on one side a number, and on the other the name of the dis- trict in which I was residing. These were also entered in a book kept by the police. This arrangement was compulsory, and any dog found in the streets without the badge was at once taken up by the police. If its owner could be found, he was fined ; if no owner was forthcoming, the dog was mercifully destroyed. Surely this is much better than muzzling, with its attendant cruel consequences to the unfortunate animal, so well described in your pages 'by Mr. Courtenay. Cannot the Dog-Owners' Protection Association be prevailed on to take up this idea, and endeavour to get it carried out by the
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