Animal Trouble in Town of Magrath

Not only was the cattle drive noisy and chaotic for the civilized people of the town, the cattle were dirty and the dust and manure left by the cattle drive was a terrible problem for the entire town.

Magrath saw three incidents of difficulty involving chickens, dogs and cattle. 

In the first instance, Kirby’s Cafe was disrupted by a dog who entered the premises being chased by its owner. Mr. Kirby was adamant that all dogs be kept tethered. 

Mr. Austin was upset by this as his dog was a highly trained shepherd and never required a leash. 

Another related incident happened when Mrs. Barnett’s dog was shot by Mr. Tewson for chasing his prize laying hens. 

Mr. Tewson maintained that the dog was as big a nuisance as any vermin – weasels, coons or porcupines and he had as much right to shoot it as any other varmint for chasing his chickens. 

Mrs. Barnett stated that she believed if his chickens were properly cooped, the dog would have never bothered them.

Mrs. had larger problems to contend with.  For her, Mr. Bourne’s annual cattle drive moving his cattle from his winter pasture north of town to his summer pasture south of town was a much larger menace.