Cans v. Dons.
At a small shoot this September three sportsmen had lost a favourite dog by death from motor-cars, and others recorded similar experiences. The casualties have been, and continue to be, immense. Dogs are peculiarly fond of driving in cars. A spaniel of my own actually tried to jump into a car that, but for a sudden application of the brakes, might have run over him. He thought the car had stopped to let him in. It is extremely difficult to teach a dog the double and conflicting lesson that the car is enemy as well as friend. This means that the motorists are not wholly to blame. At the same time many grossly presume that a dog will get out of the way and will not run across the line. Indeed, a certain callousness is bred ; and how much the loss of a dog may mean in a house- hold is wholly forgotten. It is seldom that even an apology is offered. After all, a village street is not a racing track. Children and dogs too have their rights there ; and both are apt to do sudden and unexpected things.
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