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RSPCA pays tribute to efforts of animals and staff in two World Wars

RSPCA pays tribute to efforts of animals and staff in two World Wars

Special service to be held at London Memorial

RSPCA workers will take part in a special memorial gathering on 11 November in remembrance of the vital part played in both world wars by animals and the charity’s staff.

The roles of animals in the wars may be overshadowed by the human cost of the conflicts, but their contribution should not be forgotten. 

Hundreds of thousands of horses, mules, pigeons, dogs and other animals were lost. They carried supplies, ammunition, communications and even detected mines. Even cats were valued by our servicemen and performed appreciated roles as rat-catchers, but also offering a therapeutic presence and a sense of security and calm to those in the trenches and at sea.

At one point in the First World War there were reportedly over a million horses being used across all the battle fronts in a war of which they had no understanding.

The RSPCA was 90 years old by the start of the First World War and had only one clinic and animal home in Islington, but with financial support from the War Office the charity built four complete hospitals. This was three years before the first RSPCA animal hospital opened (in Liverpool), although there were several RSPCA branches which already ran clinics. 

RSPCA staff enlisted in the Army Veterinary Corps (AVC)* and the Society managed to raise £250,000 (the equivalent of £12,747,500) for veterinary supplies to help alleviate the suffering of horses on the frontline. 

In total, over two and half million animals passed through the hospitals between 1914 and 1918, with two million of these being made healthy and made available for further service. In France alone, the AVC treated 725,000 injured horses.

In 1932, the Prince of Wales dedicated the RSPCA Memorial Dispensary for Animals in Kilburn, north-west London to the memory of those animals lost in the 1914-1918 war.

During the Second World War RSPCA inspectors risked their lives carrying out animal rescues on British soil. Entire streets would be evacuated due to bombing with stricken owners having to leave their animals and pets behind. The inspectors bravely entered the cordoned zones and at least 100,000 animals were saved in this way.

Between 1939 and 1945, the RSPCA rescued more than 256,000 animals and treated more than a million. By 1944 the RSPCA had established 734 animal rescue centres to deal with the casualties and sick animals.

In 2004, HRH the Princess Royal opened the Animals in War Memorial in Hyde Park (right). With its inscription ‘They had no choice’ the monument serves as a powerful and moving monument to the animals that served, suffered and died alongside the British, Commonwealth and Allied forces in the wars and conflicts of the 20th century.

Staff from the RSPCA, along with other animal charities, will gather at the Animals in War Memorial at 11am on Friday 11 November

RSPCA staff will also be participating in the Cenotaph service on Sunday 13 November.

*to become the Royal Army Veterinary Corps in 1918

Notes to editors

Although the use of horses is limited to mainly ceremonial duties in today’s armed forces, other animals, such as highly trained dogs are still vital to the efforts of the British services today. 

The Army’s 1st Military Working Dog Regiment, for example, comprises around 200 dogs which work alongside 284 soldiers and officers in counter insurgency and improvised explosive device (IED) detection; searching and helping to clear routes, buildings and vehicles in Afghanistan and helping to guard and patrol key installations to assist and enhance security.

 

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