Man's Best Friend(s)

WWI Carrier Pigeons

Over 16 million animals including dogs, horses, mules, donkeys, carrier pigeons, and even camels and cats were deployed during WWI. Unfortunately, 9 million of them sacrificed their lives in order to help soldiers survive.

Some astounding stats:

There were no radios in the trenches and all land wires were cut when the bombing started...so pigeons (over 100,000 used with over 500 soldiers working with them) became the most reliable way (over 95% success rate) to send messages.

Over 1 million dogs were also used to carry messages, sniff out enemy soldiers, hunt/ kill trench rats, and warn soldiers through "quiet" growls of approaching enemy. Cats were also used to hunt/ kill rodents.

Millions of horses, mules, and donkeys were mainly recruited to haul heavy artillery and supplies. They were also used to make quick cavalry strikes against the enemy when necessary. Sadly, the average life span of a horse during WWI was 5 days.

Of course, maybe the most important contribution of animals in WWI was morale...bringing a sense of normalcy, innocence, and home in sharp contrast with the hell around them.  Truly these animals were Man's Best Friends.

The next time you are near Lake of the Isles in Minneapolis, take a moment to reflect on the sacrifices and contributions of the millions of animals who served in WWI...

Peavey Fountain: Dedicated to WWI Horses