§ The House went into a Committee on the Cruelty to Animals (Ireland) Bill.
§ Lord D. Stuartwould take that opportunity of saying, that he thought some measure should be adopted for the protection of that most useful animal, the dog. It was revolting to see the enormous weights they were made to draw, and, in his opinion, the names of the owners ought, as in other cases, to be painted on the carts, in order that there might be no difficulty in ascertaining the owners of any dog who might be cruelly treated. He did not know whether it was possible to introduce a clause for the protection of these animals into the present Bill, but if it could be conveniently done, he trusted the noble Lord (Morpeth) would not object to the insertion of such a clause.
§ Viscount Morpethwould have been glad 1762 to have done so, but as the present Bill was merely an extension of the English Act to Ireland, and as there was no clause in the original Bill for the protection of the dog, he was afraid such a clause as had been proposed could not be inserted.
§ Lord D. Stuarthoped, that in the next Session the Government would introduce a general measure on the subject, and he might mention that he had in the Vote-office a petition signed by upwards of 4,000 persons praying for protection to the dog.
§ The clauses of the Bill were agreed to. House resumed.