| Citation |
BEP(F.738.023
17 Jul 1738:11 (153)
Edinburgh. Complaint being made the 8th instant [Apr] to
the magistrates, that a mad bull-bitch, belonging to a
butcher, had bit many dogs in the flesh market; to prevent
the fatal consequences that must very justly be apprehended
from such a number of furious mastiffs in this populous
place, the magistrates issued a proclamation, ordering all
dogs belonging to that incorporation to be forthwith put to
death, under penalty of 5 l. sterling, and imprisonment to
the owners for 12 kalendar months; nor are they to keep dogs
for 30 days to come: Also ordering all citizens and
inhabitants to remove their dogs from the city and
liberties; also impowering the city guard and town officers
to kill all dogs that should be seen on the streets after
next day at noon, and requiring the town treasurer to pay
one shilling sterling reward for each dog so killed. The
street-caddies, &c. went very early in obedience to this
edict; for the drum had scarce gone round to intimate the
same, when they fell a knocking o' the head all suspicious
or ill-affected curs, some of which they hang'd on sign
posts, &c. and with difficulty could they be restrain'd from
killing the dogs that lead the blind about the streets, or
attacking the ladies with their lap dogs. A detachment of
the city guard was order'd down to the butcher market, where
they made very clean havock of all the dogs there. Saturday
at noon the town officers being provided with large oaken
clubs, went a dog hunting, and killed every cur they could
see or heard of. The magistrates of Leith order'd all the
dogs of their town to be put to death. Accordingly the curs
were drove into the harbour, and drown'd or knock'd on the
head. Several gentlemen, and others, sent off their dogs to
the country, to avoid the act; and a certain writer sent his
favourite dog Tipsie to Haddington in a cloak bag.
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