One of my favorite
lines of verse is by George Santayana, “Those who cannot
remember the past, are forced to repeat it.” While looking
through a Volume of 1823 I came across the following annual charges.
Dogs. For every
Greyhound kept by any person, whether his property or not, £1. For every other species
of dog, where more than one is kept, 14 shillings. And any
person who shall inhabit any dwelling-house, assessed to any of the
duties on inhabited houses, or on windows or lights, and shall keep
one dog and no more, not being of the above description, 8
shillings for such dog.
But this duty is not to
extend to dogs not six months old: the proof of which lies with the
owner, on appeal tothe commissioners. Persons compounding for their
hounds, to be charged £36.
Given the charges are
for 190 years ago, present day owners are getting off very lightly.
Maybe if dog owners payed modern equivelants to the above rates, we
wouldn’t have the problems in our parks and on footpaths.
But not
many can remember 1823.
