The Wasp — 1891 — page 90: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This political cartoon satirizes what appears to be a municipal licensing or tax system for dogs in San Francisco. A man operates a large mechanical crane/hoist system labeled with various fees ("LICENSE," "POUND FEES," "COMPLAINT FINES") to extract money from dogs confined in a cage below. Additional dogs surround the apparatus, suggesting widespread enforcement. The caption references "McGinty, Jake!" — likely local political figures or officials associated with the dog licensing scheme. The satire critiques what the cartoonist saw as excessive or corrupt extraction of fees from pet owners, or possibly overzealous animal control enforcement. The title suggests even marginalized creatures deserve their due, implying the system unfairly targets common people's pets.