Sussex Advertiser - Tuesday 05 June 1866

CUCKFIELD.

A Plague Among the Dogs.—

The owners of canines, useful or useless, as the case may be, have been looked up pretty closely of late by the Assessors and the police, who have discovered that nearly 200 have been kept in the parish that have paid no tax at all, and papers have been handed round reminding their keepers of the fact.

The consternation created among the owners of poodles, fancy terriers, pug shockings, and Pompey dogs, et hoc omne genus, has been intense. Some repudiate the ownership, others are willing to sacrifice their little pets, and some have done so, rather than pay the tax, but too late: for the majority will get mulcted (1) in the 12s. for 2 years at least.

(1) extract money from (someone) by fine or taxation.