The Hero of the Smalley Home
A family bulldog loses its life defending its mistress from a rabid dog, exposing a community crisis over local muzzle laws.
The story, cleaned up
A cleaned-up reading of the newspaper page: spelling and layout repaired, one story lifted off a crowded page. It follows the original closely but it is not a transcription. The original page is below; read it if a detail matters.
Had it not been for the timely interference of a faithful bulldog at the home of Joe Smalley last week, human life might have been a sacrifice to the carelessness of somebody in carrying out the state mandate that all dogs be muzzled. A house dog, turned delirious by hydrophobia, appeared at the Smalley home and in all probability would have bitten Mrs. Smalley had he not been pounced upon by the family bulldog, which gave his life in saving his mistress. Too many dog masters have regarded the state orders as a whimsical precaution, decorating their canines with a kind of contrivance which could qualify as a muzzle but never giving a thought to the seriousness of the situation. So far, chance has protected the community, but where safety can be had for the price of a stout chain or a good muzzle, it is criminal to trust to luck.
“The victim of the mad Airedale was only a bulldog, it is true, but had Fate's cast been otherwise the victim might have been somebody's bright-faced little boy or girl.”
Rabies was a legitimate, deadly fear in early 20th-century rural communities. This story captures the precarious balance between public safety and personal pet ownership that still defines local animal control ordinances.
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