A CANINE ‘COLLECTOR.’
That dogs can be taught the performance of tricks or acts showing a remarkable amount of sagacity and intelligence, no one will pretend to doubt, for it is a fact patent to all. But that a dog could become a ‘collector,’ and a collector of money too, is at first sight somewhat startling. Yet such is the fact. A splendid and thoroughbred Scotch collie, known as ‘Help,’ has been actually trained as a collector of money for charitable contributions, or subscriptions, for the ‘Orphan Fund of the Amalgamated Society of Railway Servants.’ His tutor has been one of the guards of the night-boat train on the London, Brighton, and south-coast line. He is described as a dog not only of great beauty, but of gentle and winning ways, possessing marvellous intelligence and a generous disposition. In his capacity as collector he has travelled over the greater part of England, always returning home to the headquarters in the City Road, London, with the proceeds of his charitable efforts. Last year, he is reported to have crossed the Channel, having been taken over by the captain of the steamer Brittany, and introduced by him to Her Majesty’s consul at Dieppe. In this port he is stated to have collected about six pounds ten shillings; and on returning home he seems to have made a rather profitable stay at Newhaven, where he collected nearly seven pounds. In February last it was reported in the newspapers that Help had been killed at a level crossing at Middlesborough, in Yorkshire, where he had been run over by an ‘express’ train. This, however, turns out to have been a mistake. A handsome Scotch collie was killed as stated, and as he resembled Help very much, the story got about that the canine ‘collector’ had lost his life on the line. But Help is at this moment actively following his charitable avocation, in which, we believe, he excites more interest than ever. And long may he continue to carry on his useful career of helping the fatherless and the afflicted. It would be interesting to know the plan or system employed for the dog’s operations; in other words, how it is done. The animal must, of course, always be in charge of somebody, otherwise, when he had done a fair day’s work in collecting money, there are numbers of unprincipled people who would speedily ease the collie of his subscriptions, if they did not take his life as well.