Dogs in warfare

"War dogs" redirects here. For the Marvel Comics character, see War Dog (Marvel Comics). For other uses, see The Dogs of War (disambiguation) and War Dogs (disambiguation).

A Belgian Malinois ("Jackson"), in service with the United States Air Force, sitting on an M2A3 Bradley fighting vehicle before heading out on a mission in Khan Bani Saad during the Iraq War, 13 February 2007 Attack dog serving with the Garrison of Sør-Varanger of the Norwegian Army during a simulated arrest, 9 March 2008

Dogs have a very long history in warfare, beginning in ancient times. From being trained in combat, to their use as scouts, sentries, messengers, mercy dogs, and trackers, their uses have been varied, and some continue to exist in modern military usage.

## History

[edit]

A battle between the Cimmerians and the Greeks, as depicted on a Pontic plate: Cimmerian cavalry and their war dogs fighting against Greek hoplites

War dogs were used by the Egyptians, Greeks, Persians, Sarmatians, Baganda, Alans, Slavs, Britons, and Romans.[1][2]

Among the Greeks and Romans, dogs served most often as sentries or patrols, though they were sometimes taken into battle.[3] The earliest use of war dogs in a battle recorded in classical sources was by Alyattes of Lydia against the Cimmerians around 600 BC. The Lydian dogs killed some invaders and routed others.[4] At the Battle of Pelusium (525 BC), Cambyses II deployed dogs, cats, and other animals held sacred by the Egyptians. By putting these animals on the front lines, he was supposedly able to get the Egyptians to cease using their projectile weaponry.[5]

During the Late Antiquity, Attila the Hun used large war dogs in his campaigns.[1] Gifts of war dog breeding stock between European royalty were seen as suitable tokens for exchange throughout the Middle Ages. Other civilizations used armoured dogs to defend caravans or attack enemies.

In the Far East, 15th-century Vietnamese Emperor Lê Lợi raised a pack of over 100 hounds, tended and trained by Nguyễn Xí, whose skills were impressive enough to promote him to the commander of a shock troop regiment.[6]

Later on, Frederick the Great of Prussia used dogs as messengers during the Seven Years' War with Russia. Napoleon also used dogs during his campaigns. Dogs were used until 1770 to guard naval installations in France.[7]

The first official use of dogs for military purposes in the U.S. was during the Seminole Wars.[1] Hounds were used in the American Civil War to protect, send messages, and guard prisoners.[8] General Grant recounts how packs of Southern bloodhounds were destroyed by Union troops wherever found due to their being trained to hunt runaway slaves before the war.[9] Dogs were also used as mascots in American WWI propaganda and recruiting posters.[10]

## Timeline

[edit]

Monument to war dogs in front of the Suffolk County Executive Building in Hauppauge, New York, United States, September 2009

Dogs have been used in warfare by many civilizations. As warfare has progressed, their purposes have changed greatly.[11]

* Mid-seventh century BC: In the war waged by the Ephesians against Magnesia on the Maeander, their horsemen were each accompanied by a war dog and a spear-bearing attendant. Dogs were released first and broke the enemy ranks, followed by an assault of spears, then a cavalry charge.[12] An epitaph records the burial of a Magnesian horseman named Hippaemon with his dog Lethargos, his horse, and his spearman.[13]
* 525 BC: At the Battle of Pelusium, Cambyses II used a psychological tactic against the Egyptians, arraying dogs and other animals in the front line to effectively take advantage of the Egyptian religious reverence for animals.[14]
* 490 BC: At the Battle of Marathon, a dog followed his hoplite master into battle against the Persians and was memorialized in a mural.[15]
* 480 BC: Xerxes I of Persia was accompanied by vast packs of Indian hounds when he invaded Greece. They may have served in the military and were possibly being used for sport or hunting, but their purpose is unrecorded.[16]
* 281 BC: Lysimachus was slain during the Battle of Corupedium and his body was discovered preserved on the battlefield and guarded vigilantly by his faithful dog.[17]
* 231 BC: Roman consul Marcus Pomponius Matho led the Roman legions through the inland of Sardinia. The inhabitants engaged in guerrilla warfare, against the invaders. The Romans used "dogs from Italy" to hunt down the natives who tried to hide in the caves.[18]
* 1500s: Mastiffs and other large breeds were used extensively by Spanish conquistadors against Native Americans.[19]
* 1700–1800s: Dogs were used in slave societies in the Caribbean, North America and Brazil.[20]
* 1902 Dogs of war were used by the Argentine Republic in Patagonia "for the colonization of the bottom of the country, a raid was made against these poor harmless children of nature, and many tribes were wiped out of existence. The Argentines let loose the dogs of war against them; many were killed and the rest—men, women and children—were deported by sea".[21]
* 1914–1918: Dogs were used by international forces to deliver vital messages. Sergeant Stubby, a Bull Terrier or Boston Terrier,[2][22] has been called the most decorated war dog of World War I, and the only dog to be nominated for rank and then promoted to sergeant through combat.[23] Recognized in connection with an exhibition at the Smithsonian Institution.[23][24][25] Among many other exploits, he's said to have captured a German spy.[23] He also became mascot at Georgetown University. Rags was another notable World War I dog.
* 1941–1945: The Soviet Union deployed dogs strapped with explosives against invading German tanks, with limited success.
* 1943–1945: The United States Marine Corps used dogs, donated by their American owners, in the Pacific theatre to help take islands back from Japanese occupying forces. During this period, the Doberman Pinscher became the official dog of the USMC; however, all breeds of dogs were eligible to train to be "war dogs of the Pacific". Of the 549 dogs that returned from the war, only four could not be returned to civilian life. Many of the dogs went home with their handlers from the war.[26] Chips was the most decorated war dog during World War II.
* 1966–1973: About 5,000 US war dogs served in the Vietnam War (the US Army did not retain records prior to 1968); about 10,000 US servicemen served as dog handlers during the war, and the K9 units are estimated to have saved over 10,000 human lives; 232 military working dogs[27] and 295[28] US servicemen working as dog handlers were killed in action during the war. An estimated 200 Vietnam War dogs survived the war to be assigned to other US bases outside the US. The remaining canines were euthanized or left behind.[29][30]
* 2011: United States Navy SEALs used a Belgian Malinois military working dog named Cairo in Operation Neptune Spear, in which Osama bin Laden was killed.[31][32]
* 2019: United States 1st SFOD-D operators used a male Belgian Malinois named Conan during the Barisha raid.
* 2020: According to Democratic senator Richard Blumenthal, US military working dogs should be bred in the US rather than in Europe. American breeders are said to become a necessity in the near term, Blumenthal said, solely due to an increase in demand for the dogs.[33]

## Roles

[edit]

A German Shepherd ("Chief"), in service with the United States Army, patrolling with his handler SP4 Bealock during the Vietnam War, 1960s

Dogs have been used for many different purposes. Different breeds were used for different tasks, but always met the demands of the handlers. Many roles for dogs in war are obsolete and no longer practiced, but the concept of the war dog still remains alive and well in modern warfare.

### Fighting

[edit]

An attack dog, in service with the United States military, undergoing escalation-of-force training during the War in Afghanistan, 25 February 2005

Main article: Attack dog

In ancient times, dogs, often large mastiff-type breeds, would be strapped with armour or spiked collars and sent into battle to attack the enemy. This strategy was used by various civilizations, such as the Romans and the Greeks. While not as common as in previous centuries, modern militaries continue to employ dogs in an attack role. Special Operations forces of the US military still use dogs in raids for apprehending fleeing enemies or prisoners, or for searching areas too difficult or dangerous for human soldiers (such as crawl spaces).[34]

Another program attempted during World War II was suggested by a Swiss citizen living in Santa Fe, New Mexico. William A. Prestre proposed using large dogs to kill Japanese soldiers. He persuaded the military to lease an entire island in the Mississippi to house the training facilities. There, the army hoped to train as many as two million dogs. The idea was to begin island invasions with landing craft releasing thousands of dogs against the Japanese defenders, then followed up by troops as the Japanese defenders scattered in confusion. One of the biggest problems encountered was getting Japanese soldiers with whom to train the dogs, because few Japanese soldiers were being captured. Eventually, Japanese-American soldiers volunteered for the training. Another large problem was with the dogs; either they were too docile, did not properly respond to their beach-crossing training, or were terrified by shellfire. After millions of dollars were spent with inconclusive results, the program was abandoned.[35]

The Soviet Union used dogs for antitank purposes beginning in the 1930s. Earlier antitank dogs were fitted with tilt-rod mines and trained to run beneath enemy tanks, which would detonate the mines automatically. However, the dogs were trained with stationary Russian tanks and very seldom ran under the moving tanks; instead, they were shot as they ran beside the moving tanks. When both Russian and German tanks were present, the dogs would preferentially run towards the familiar Russian tanks.

### Logistics and communication

[edit]

Carabiniers of the Belgian Army walking with dog-drawn machine gun carts in the Battle of the Frontiers during World War I, 20 August 1914 Handler with his messenger dogs, in service with the British Army, in France during World War I, 1 January 1918

About the time World War I broke out, many European communities used dogs to pull small carts for milk deliveries and similar purposes.[36] Several European armies adapted the process for military use.[37] In August 1914, the Belgian Army used dogs to pull their Maxim guns on wheeled carriages and supplies or reportedly even wounded in their carts.[38] Two dogs of the sturdy and docile Martin Belge breed were used to pull each machine gun or ammunition cart. Already in common civilian use and cheap to buy and feed, the dogs proved hardier and more suitable for military use under fire than packhorses.[39] The dogs were officially withdrawn from military use in December 1916, although several months were needed before horse-drawn carts and motor vehicles had fully replaced them.[40]

The French had 250 dogs at the start of World War I. The Dutch army copied the idea and had hundreds of dogs trained and ready by the end of World War I (the Netherlands remained neutral). The Soviet Red Army also used dogs to drag wounded men to aid stations during World War II.[41] The dogs were well-suited to transporting loads over snow and through craters.

Dogs were often used to carry messages in battle. They were turned loose to move silently to a second handler. This required a dog that was very loyal to two masters, otherwise the dog would not deliver the message on time or at all. Some messenger dogs also performed other communication jobs, such as pulling telephone lines or cables from one location to another.[42]

A 2-kilogram (4-pound) Yorkshire terrier named Smoky was used to run a telegraph wire through a 10-to-20-centimetre-diameter (4-to-8-inch), 21-metre-long (70-foot) pipe to ensure communication without moving troops into the line of fire.

### Mascots

[edit]

Main article: Military mascot

Dogs were often used as unit mascots for military units. The dog in question might be an officer's dog, an animal that the unit chose to adopt, or one of their canines employed in another role as a working dog. Some naval dogs such as Sinbad and Judy were themselves enlisted service members. Some units also chose to employ a particular breed of dog as their standard mascot, with new dogs replacing the old when it died or was retired. The presence of a mascot was designed to lift morale, and many were used to this effect in the trenches of World War I. An example of this would be Sergeant Stubby for the US Army.[43]

### Australia

[edit]

The Australian Defense Forces (ADF) and Special Operations Military Working Dogs (SOMWD) are very important in terms of the beginnings, capabilities, roles, and services of dogs in the Australian military. This is a perfect place to start reading about and understanding the importance of the dynamic lives and services that many breeds of dogs offer to humans in a varied and sustainable environment. They protect and serve alongside their handlers with grace and integrity, offering their service as military working dogs, loyal companions, and dedicated animals who take their training seriously. Their roles in military service are just as important today as ever before, and they should be saluted for their bravery and the protections they provide.[44]

### Vietnam

[edit]

The plight of the MWDs in Vietnam led to much campaigning by veterans and animal organizations. The campaigning finally led to the following alteration in the way military dogs are treated by law:[45] President Bill Clinton made it a law that all military dogs were considered veterans, which allowed them to come home after service.[46] The Vietnam War provided invaluable service from military working dogs, but also highlighted the failure in their post-service welfare. The initial policies leading to the abandonment and euthanasia of these loyal animals led to record activism that culminated in historic legislative reform. MWDs are now revered and admired for their service and are assured of the care and dignity they rightly deserve in retirement.[47]

### Medical research

[edit]

Main article: Animal testing

Medical researchers, and their allies in the armed forces, awarded military-style medals to animals in laboratories to emphasize the martial significance of animal experimentation. Here, Army Surgeon General Major General Norman T. Kirk, on behalf of the Friends of Medical Research, bestows medals upon research dogs Trixie and Josie "for outstanding services to humanity."

In World War II, dogs took on a new role in medical experimentation, as the primary animals chosen for medical research.[48] The animal experimentation allowed doctors to test new medicines without risking human lives, though these practices came under more scrutiny after the war. The United States' government responded by proclaiming these dogs as heroes.

The Cold War sparked a heated debate over the ethics of animal experimentation in the U.S., particularly aimed at how canines were treated in World War II.[48] In 1966, major reforms came to this field with the adoption of the Laboratory Animal Welfare Act.[49]

### Injured on the Battlefield

[edit]

Handlers are trained to apply first aid on the battlefield for their injured dogs. U.S. Marine Corps Forces use realistic dog mannequins that respond by whimpering and barking. The handler is trained to triage (apply first aid) on the battlefield to check for heart pulsations, massive bleeding, amputations, collapsed lungs, etc.[50]

### Detection and tracking

[edit]

Main article: Detection dog

Many dogs were used to locate mines. They did not prove to be very effective under combat conditions. Marine mine detecting dogs were trained using bare electric wires beneath the ground surface.[51] The wires shocked the dogs, teaching them that danger lurked under the soil. Once the dog's focus was properly directed, dummy mines were planted and the dogs were trained to signal their presence. While the dogs effectively found the mines, the task proved so stressful for the dogs they were only able to work between 20 and 30 minutes at a time. The mine-detecting war dogs anticipated random shocks from the heretofore friendly earth, making them extremely nervous. The useful service life of the dogs was not long. Experiments with laboratory rats show that this trend can be very extreme; in some tests, rats even huddled in the corner to the point of starvation to avoid electric shock.

Dogs have historically also been used in many cases to track fugitives and enemy troops, overlapping partly into the duties of a scout dog, but use their olfactory skill in tracking a scent, rather than warning a handler at the initial presentation of a scent.

### Scouts

[edit]

Scouting and messenger dogs, in service with the United States Marine Raiders, walking with their handlers to the frontline against the Imperial Japanese Army during the Bougainville campaign of World War II, November/December 1943.

All scout dogs must be taught the difference between human and animal scent. Some dogs are trained to silently locate booby traps and concealed enemies such as snipers. The dog's keen senses of smell and hearing would make them far more effective at detecting these dangers than humans. The best scout dogs are described as having a disposition intermediate to docile tracking dogs and aggressive attack dogs.[52] Scouting dogs are able to identify the opposing threat within 1,000 yards of area. This method of scouting is more efficient compared to human senses.[53]

Scout dogs were used in World War II, Korea, and Vietnam by the United States to detect ambushes, weapon caches, or enemy fighters hiding under water, with only reed breathing straws showing above the waterline. The US operated a number of scout-dog platoons (assigned on a handler-and-dog team basis to individual patrols) and had a dedicated dog-training school in Fort Benning, Georgia.[52]

### Sentries

[edit]

Main article: Guard dog

One of the earliest military-related uses, sentry dogs were used to defend camps or other priority areas at night and sometimes during the day. They would bark or growl to alert guards of a stranger's presence. During the Cold War, the American military used sentry dog teams outside of nuclear weapons storage areas. A test program was conducted in Vietnam to test sentry dogs, launched two days after a successful Vietcong attack on Da Nang Air Base (July 1, 1965). Forty dog teams were deployed to Vietnam for a four-month test period, with teams placed on the perimeter in front of machine gun towers/bunkers. The detection of intruders resulted in a rapid deployment of reinforcements. The test was successful, so the handlers returned to the US while the dogs were reassigned to new handlers. The Air Force immediately started to ship dog teams to all the bases in Vietnam and Thailand.

The buildup of American forces in Vietnam created large dog sections at USAF Southeast Asia (SEA) bases; 467 dogs were eventually assigned to Bien Hoa, Binh Thuy, Cam Ranh Bay, Da Nang, Nha Trang, Tuy Hoa, Phù Cát, Phan Rang, Tan Son Nhut, and Pleiku Air Bases. Within a year of deployment, attacks on several bases had been stopped when the enemy forces were detected by dog teams. Captured Vietcong told of the fear and respect that they had for the dogs. The Vietcong even placed a bounty on lives of handlers and dogs. The success of sentry dogs was determined by the lack of successful penetrations of bases in Vietnam and Thailand. The United States War Dogs Association estimated that war dogs saved over 10,000 U.S. lives in Vietnam.[54] Sentry Dogs were also used by the Army, Navy, and Marines to protect the perimeter of a large bases.

### Modern uses

[edit]

A detection dog, in service with the United States Army, searches rubble outside of a target building in Al-Rusafa, Baghdad, during the Iraq War, 28 February 2009

Contemporary dogs in military roles are also often referred to as police dogs, or in the United States and United Kingdom as a military working dog (MWD), or K-9. Their roles are nearly as varied as those of their ancient relatives, though they tend to be more rarely used in front-line formations. As of 2011, 600 U.S. MWDs were actively participating in the conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan.[55]

Traditionally, the most common breed for these police-type operations has been the German Shepherd; in recent years, a shift has been made to smaller dogs with keener senses of smell for detection work, and more resilient breeds such as the Belgian Malinois and Dutch Shepherd for patrolling and law enforcement. All MWDs in use today are paired with a single individual after their training. This person is called a handler. While a handler usually does not stay with one dog for the length of either's career, usually a handler stays partnered with a dog for at least a year, and sometimes much longer.[citation needed] However, the length of the time with the dog and handler is very important. There must be trust between the two for things to work properly and smoothly. The handler must trust the dogs instincts to find a specific scent.[56]

The latest canine tactical vests are outfitted with cameras and durable microphones that allow dogs to relay audio and visual information to their handlers.[citation needed]

In the 1970s, the US Air Force used over 1,600 dogs worldwide. Today, personnel cutbacks have reduced USAF dog teams to around 530, stationed throughout the world. Many dogs that operate in these roles are trained at Lackland Air Force Base, the only United States facility that currently trains dogs for military use.[57] High Dive dog training is where the dog jumps from a military plane with their handler.[58]

A war dog, in service with the United States Army, participating in a training event at Camp Bondsteel with the NATO-led Kosovo Force, 23 July 2015

Change has also come in legislation for the benefit of the canines. Prior to 2000, older war dogs were required to be euthanized. The new law permits adoption of retired military dogs.[57] One notable case of which was Lex, a working dog whose handler was killed in Iraq.

Numerous memorials are dedicated to war dogs, including at March Field Air Museum in Riverside, California;[59] the Infantry School at Fort Benning, Georgia;[59] at the Naval Facility, Guam, with replicas at the University of Tennessee College of Veterinary Medicine in Knoxville;[60] the Alfred M. Gray Marine Corps Research Center in Quantico, Virginia;[61] and the Alabama War Dogs Memorial at the USS Alabama Battleship Memorial Park in Mobile, Alabama.[62]

#### Law enforcement

[edit]

A detection dog, in service with the United States Marine Corps, inspects baggage for loading with HMX-1, 14 March 2008

Main article: Police dog

As a partner in everyday military police work, dogs have proven versatile and loyal officers. They can chase suspects, track them if they are hidden, and guard them when they are caught. They are trained to respond viciously if their handler is attacked, and otherwise not to react at all unless they are commanded to do so by their handler. Many police dogs are also trained in detection, as well.[63]

#### Drug and explosives detection

[edit]

Main article: Detection dog

Both MWDs and their civilian counterparts provide service in drug detection, sniffing out a broad range of psychoactive substances despite efforts at concealment. Provided they have been trained to detect it, MWDs can smell small traces of nearly any substance, even if it is in a sealed container. Dogs trained in drug detection are normally used at ports of embarkation such as airports, checkpoints, and other places where security and a need for anti-contraband measures exist.[citation needed]

MWDs can also be trained to detect explosives. As with narcotics, trained MWDs can detect minuscule amounts of a wide range of explosives, making them useful for searching entry points, patrolling within secure installations, and at checkpoints. These dogs are capable of achieving over a 98% success rate in bomb detection.[64]

#### Intimidation

[edit]

An Iraqi prisoner is intimidated by an American soldier via his service dog at Abu Ghraib prison during the 2003 invasion of Iraq

The use of MWDs on prisoners by the United States during recent wars in Afghanistan and Iraq has been controversial.[65] Dog ownership in the Middle East is relatively uncommon, as many Muslims consider dogs unclean.[66]

Iraq War: The United States has used dogs to intimidate prisoners in Iraqi prisons.[67] In court testimony following the revelations of Abu Ghraib prisoner abuse, it was stated that Colonel Thomas M. Pappas approved the use of dogs for interrogations. Private Ivan L. Frederick testified that interrogators were authorized to use dogs and that a civilian contract interrogator left him lists of the cells he wanted dog handlers to visit. "They were allowed to use them to ... intimidate inmates", Frederick stated. Two soldiers, Sergeant Santos A. Cardona and Sergeant Michael J. Smith, were then charged with maltreatment of detainees, for allegedly encouraging and permitting unmuzzled working dogs to threaten and attack them. Prosecutors have focused on an incident caught in published photographs, when the two men allegedly cornered a naked detainee and allowed the dogs to bite him on each thigh as he cowered in fear.[68]

Guantanamo Bay: The use of dogs to intimidate prisoners in Iraq is believed to have been learned from practices at Guantanamo Bay Naval Base.[68] The use of dogs on prisoners by regular U.S. forces in Guantanamo Bay Naval Base was prohibited by Donald Rumsfeld in April 2003. A few months later, revelations of abuses at Abu Ghraib prison were aired, including use of dogs to terrify naked prisoners; Rumsfeld then issued a further order prohibiting their use by the regular U.S. forces in Iraq.[69]

#### Retirement

[edit]

Traditionally, as in World War II, US MWDs were returned home after the war, to their former owners or new adoptive ones. The Vietnam War was different in that U.S. war dogs were designated as expendable equipment and were either euthanized or turned over to an allied army prior to the U.S. departure from South Vietnam.[70] Due to lobbying efforts by veteran dog handlers from the Vietnam War, Congress approved a bill allowing veteran U.S. MWDs to be adopted after their military service. In 2000, President Bill Clinton signed a law that allowed these dogs to be adopted,[71] making the Vietnam War the only American war in which U.S. war dogs never came home.[30][72] Now it is something any K-9 owner can do in the workforce after the dog retires. The same goes for police dogs that were in the service as well.[73]

#### Other roles

[edit]

Military working dogs continue to serve as sentries, trackers, search and rescue, scouts, and mascots. Retired MWDs are often adopted as pets or therapy dogs.

## Gallery

[edit]

* Ambulance dogs search for wounded men through scent and hearing.

* Belgian dogs trained to draw machine guns

* A German Shepherd at the German Bundeswehr dog demonstration

* A Navy Master-at-arms fires blank ammunition to condition his dog to the sound.

* A U.S. Air Force Security Forces dog handler attached to the Army's 3rd Special Forces Group in Afghanistan with a German Shepherd

* U.S. Naval Security Force K-9 Unit training

* A U.S. soldier and his Labrador Retriever dog wait before conducting an assault against insurgents in Buhriz.

* U.S. Army working dog, a German Shepherd, wearing body armor clears a building in Afghanistan.

* U.S. Navy handler with a Military Working Dog paying respects at the National War Dog Cemetery, Naval Base Guam

* Russian sapper with his German Shepherd mine detection dog in Syria

* A Special Forces operator in Syria alongside a SF Multi-Purpose Canine provides security for a nearby mortar position during the Deir ez-Zor campaign, October 11, 2018.

* A US Marine conducts a parachute jump with his war dog over Da Nang, Vietnam, August 1968

* USSF airman completing a ruck march with his military working dog.

## In popular culture

[edit]

* I'd Like to Give my Dog to Uncle Sam (1944 Song), about a blind man who wishes to have his dog enlisted in the military during World War II. The dog is a service dog; its owner refers to himself as a "blind boy"[citation needed]
* Max (2015 film), tells the fictional story of an American military dog rehabilitating into public life after his owner dies in combat.[74]
* Megan Leavey, (2017 film) tells the true story of US Marine corporal Megan Leavey and her military working dog Rex.[75][76]
* War Dog: A Soldier's Best Friend (2017), HBO feature documentary about soldier-canine relationships at war.[77]
* Sgt. Stubby: An American Hero (2018 film), tells the story of a stray dog who befriends an Army battalion during World War I.
* Dog (2022 film), tells the fictional story of an American Army Ranger who must escort his deceased partner's military dog to his funeral.
* Finding Rin Tin Tin (2007 Film), Rin Tin Tin was a real German Shepherd who became a Hollywood star after being rescued by an American soldier during World War I.[78]
* Army Dog (2016 Film), “Army Dog is another family-friendly film, following Army sergeant Tom Holloway and his dog Conner, who return to the U.S. after a highly successful mission and aim to settle back into family life."[78]
* Dog Jack (2010 Film), This dog war film is set during the American Civil War and follows the harrowing story of Benjamin Gardner, an enslaved man who escapes and eventually joins the Union Army to secure his freedom alongside his loyal dog named Jack.[78]
* Books about Antis, a puppy rescued in WWII from no man's land in France by Czech fighter pilot Robert Bozdech:
* Lewis, Damien (2013). War Dog: The No-Man's Land Puppy Who Took To the Skies. London: Sphere. ISBN 978-0751552751.
* Richardson, Anthony (1961). One Man and His Dog. New York: Dutton. ISBN 978-1844155903. `{{cite book}}`: ISBN / Date incompatibility (help)
* Ross, Hamish (2007). Freedom in the Air: A Czech Flyer and His Aircrew Dog. Pen & Sword Aviation. ISBN 978-1844155903.
* Kadohata, Cynthia (2007). Cracker! The Best Dog in Vietnam. Atheneum. ISBN 978-1416906384.
* Damien Lewis (2014). The Dog Who Could Fly: The Incredible True Story of a WWII Airman and the Four-Legged Hero Who Flew At His Side. ISBN 978-1476739144.

## See also

[edit]

* Ancient warfare – War through the end of the ancient period
* Animals in War Memorial – War memorial in London, England, London
* Dickin Medal – Award for animals in wartime, UK honour awarded to animals "for gallantry"
* Dogs of Roman Britain
* Examples of dogs that gained notability in war
* List of individual dogs
* National War Dog Cemetery – US military memorial in Guam, United States
* Parachuting animals
* Riot dog, a term used by media denoting dogs that accompany street protesters
* Working dog – Dog trained to perform practical tasks
* Oketz – Canine special forces (sayeret) unit of the Israel Defense Forces.

## References

[edit]

1. ^ a b c Newton, Tom. "K-9 History: The Dogs of War!". Hahn's 50th AP K-9. Retrieved 2008-11-25.
2. ^ a b "Dogs of War in European Conflict; Egyptians and Romans Employed Them in Early Warfare – Battle Dogs in 4000 B.C". The New York Times. February 21, 1915. p. S3. Retrieved 2008-11-26.
3. ^ E.S. Forster, "Dogs In Ancient Warfare," Greece & Rome 10 (1941) 114–117.
4. ^ Polyaenus, Stratagems 7.2; Forster, "Dogs in Ancient Warfare," p. 114.
5. ^ Forster, E. S. (1941). Dogs in Ancient Warfare. Greece & Rome, 10(30), 114–117. http://www.jstor.org/stable/641375
6. ^ Nguyễn, Thanh Điệp (11 March 2017). "Tướng Việt được ví như Khổng Minh, lấy hàng vạn tên của giặc". Zing.vn. Archived from the original on 20 January 2020. Retrieved 14 September 2018.
7. ^ Handy, William F., et al. (1961: p. 328). “The K-9 Corps: The Use of Dogs in Police Work.” The Journal of Criminal Law, Criminology, and Police Science, vol. 52, no. 3, Northwestern University School of Law, 1961, pp. 328–337, doi:10.2307/1141120.
8. ^ History of the 19th Iowa Infantry; Hounds in the American Civil War – Chapter VII, p. 109; Retrieved 2014-05-31
9. ^ Personal Memoirs of Ulysses S. Grant p. 381, par. 1
10. ^ Frankel, Rebecca (2016). War Dogs. New York: St. Martin's Press. ISBN 9781250112286.[page needed]
11. ^ Todaro, Giovanni (2011). I cani in guerra. Da Tutankhamon a Bin Laden (in Italian). Oasi Alberto Perdisa. ISBN 978-88-8372-513-5.
12. ^ Aelian, Varia Historia 14.46; Forster, "Dogs in Ancient Warfare," p. 115.
13. ^ P.A.L. Greenhalgh, Early Greek Warfare: Horsemen and Chariots in the Homeric and Archaic Ages (Cambridge University Press, 1973, 2010), p. 145.
14. ^ Polyaenus, Stratagems 7.9; Forster, "Dogs in Ancient Warfare," p. 114.
15. ^ Aelian, On the Nature of Animals 7.38.
16. ^ Herodotus, Histories 7.187; Forster, "Dogs in Ancient Warfare," p. 115.
17. ^ Williams, Henry Smith. Historians History of the World (Volume 4), p. 505.
18. ^ Zonara,'Epitomé historíon' VIII 19 P. I 401; E. Pais, 'Storia della Sardegna e della Corsica durante il periodo romano' I, 154 (in 'Bibliotheca Sarda' n. 42).
19. ^ J.G. Varner and J.J. Varner, Dogs of the Conquest (University of Oklahoma Press, 1983)
20. ^ Tyler D Parry, Charlton W Yingling, Slave Hounds and Abolition in the Americas, Past & Present, Volume 246, Issue 1, February 2020, pp. 69–108
21. ^ Canclini, Arnoldo (1980). Congresso nacional de Historia sobre la Conquista del desierto (in Spanish). Academia Nacional de la Historia (Argentina). p. 95\. ""para la colonización el fondo del país, se hizo un raid contra estos pobres inofensivos hijos de la naturaleza y muchas tribus fueron borradas de la existencia. Los argentinos dejaron sueltos los perros de la guerra contra ellos; muchos fueron muertos y el resto – hombres, mujeres y niños- fueron deportados por mar""
22. ^ "Evening Public Ledger. (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914–1942, July 09, 1921, NIGHT EXTRA, Image 18". Chroniclingamerica.loc.gov. Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Library of Congress. July 9, 1921. Archived from the original on March 4, 2016. Retrieved February 6, 2016.
23. ^ a b c ""The Price of Freedom" exhibition". Smithsonian Institution. Archived from the original on June 24, 2014. Retrieved July 14, 2014.
24. ^ "Stubby, World War I Canine Hero 1921". History wired. Smithsonian Institution. March 16, 2012. Archived from the original on November 17, 2014. Retrieved July 15, 2014.
25. ^ Kane, Gillian; Larson-Walker, Lisa, Illustrator (May 7, 2014). "Sergeant Stubby: America's original dog of war fought bravely on the Western Front—then helped the nation forget the Great War's terrible human toll". Slate.com. Archived from the original on July 13, 2014. Retrieved July 13, 2014.`{{cite web}}`: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) Reprinted in Kane, Gillian (May 24, 2014). "The story of Sergeant Stubby, WWI's most decorated dog". Stars & Stripes. Archived from the original on July 1, 2014. Retrieved July 17, 2014.
26. ^ "Marine Dogs of World War II". Worldwar2history.info. 1944-08-10. Archived from the original on 2018-07-20. Retrieved 2018-05-21.
27. ^ Burnam (2008) pp. 288–293
28. ^ Burnam (2008) pp. 281–288
29. ^ Jessica Ravitz. "War dogs remembered, decades later". cnn.com. Retrieved 2018-05-21.
30. ^ a b Burnam (2008) p. xiv
31. ^ Viegas, Jennifer (2 May 2011). "A U.S. Navy Seals' Secret Weapon: Elite Dog Team". Discovery.com. Archived from the original on 11 June 2011. Retrieved 5 May 2011.
32. ^ Brammer, Jack; Steven Thomma (7 May 2011). "Obama thanks special forces for daring bin Laden raid". Seattle Times. Archived from the original on 18 September 2011. Retrieved 7 May 2011.
33. ^ "US Military Working Dogs Should Be American-Born, Senator Says". Military. 18 September 2020. Retrieved 18 September 2020.
34. ^ "Training for US SOCOM's Best Friends". Defenseindustrydaily.com. 2011-06-13. Retrieved 2018-05-21.
35. ^ Winston Groom (2005). 1942: The Year that Tried Men's Souls. Atlanta Monthly Press. pp. 166–168. ISBN 0-87113-889-1.
36. ^ Ouida (1872). A Dog of Flanders. Chapman & Hall.
37. ^ Dyer, Walter A. (2006). Pierrot the Carabinier: Dog of Belgium. Diggory Press. ISBN 978-1-84685-036-3.
38. ^ Willmott, H.P. (2003). First World War. Dorling Kindersley. p. 59.
39. ^ Lierneux, Pierre (2017). The Belgian Army in the Great War Vol. 2 (1. ed.). Vienna: Verlag Militeria. p. 146\. ISBN 978-3-902526-86-1.
40. ^ Lierneux, Pierre (2017). The Belgian Army in the Great War Vol. 2 (1. ed.). Vienna: Verlag Militeria. p. 165\. ISBN 978-3-902526-86-1.
41. ^ "World War Two Combat: Axis and Allies". Hahn's 50th AP K-9.
42. ^ Parsons Ph.D., Sir Jarrad Denzil (15 JUL 2021: 173, 181, 196-7). Parsons' Futures of K9 Working Dogs. Doctoral dissertation, archived in the Military Academy – Allied Defence Group, private Knights Univ. (Ko’G).
43. ^ "Sgt. Stubby". Archived from the original on 2020-01-28. Retrieved 2018-05-14.
44. ^ says, Jim Russell (2014-10-01). "Special Operations Military Working Dogs - Boot Camp & Military Fitness Institute". bootcampmilitaryfitnessinstitute.com. Retrieved 2025-04-25.
45. ^ "US War Dogs | Retired Military Working Dogs Health Care". www.uswardogs.org. Retrieved 2025-04-25.
46. ^ "'Nothing like that will happen again:' Dogs might be forgotten heroes of Vietnam, but not by their handlers". Stars and Stripes. Retrieved 2025-04-25.
47. ^ "Four-Legged Green Berets: The Canine Operators of Army Special Forces". U.S. Department of Defense. Archived from the original on 2025-04-04. Retrieved 2025-04-25.
48. ^ a b "Canine Heroes and Medals". History of Medicine: Animals as Cold Warriors. National Library of Medicine, NIH. October 24, 2006. Retrieved 2008-07-08.
49. ^ Buettinger, Craig (January 1, 1993). "Antivivisection and the charge of zoophil-psychosis in the early twentieth century". The Historian. Retrieved 2008-07-08.
50. ^ "This is why Navy SEALs and Delta Force take dogs on capture-kill missions against terrorist leaders". Business Insider. Retrieved 2025-04-25.
51. ^ Putney, William. (2001) Always Faithful: A Memoir of the Marine Dogs of World War II, New York: Simon & Schuster Inc. ISBN 0-7432-0198-1
52. ^ a b Rubenstein, SP4 Wain (June 1969). "Scout Dogs - Enemy's Worst Enemy..." Danger Forward. 3 (2). U.S/ Army Quartermaster Museum. Archived from the original on 2009-08-03.`{{cite journal}}`: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
53. ^ "Types of War Dogs - US War Dog Association - National Headquarters". www.uswardogs.org. Archived from the original on 9 May 2021. Retrieved 16 June 2016.
54. ^ "War Dogs". Fort Lee, Virginia: U.S. Army Quartermaster Museum. January 9, 2007. Archived from the original on May 23, 2008. Retrieved 2008-07-08.
55. ^ Gardiner Harris (4 May 2011). "A Bin Laden Hunter on Four Legs". The New York Times Company. Retrieved 5 May 2011. "There are 600 dogs serving in Afghanistan and Iraq, and that number is expected to grow substantially over the next year."
56. ^ Lefebvre, D., & Diederich, C. (2007). The quality of the relation between handler and military dogs influences efficiency and welfare of dogs. Applied Animal Behavioral Science, 104(1–2), 49–60.
57. ^ a b Mott, Maryann (April 9, 2003). "Dogs of War: Inside the U.S. Military's Canine Corps". National Geographic News. Archived from the original on April 10, 2003. Retrieved 2008-07-08.
58. ^ Heroes, Handmade By. "10 Facts about Military Service Dogs". Handmade By Heroes. Retrieved 2025-04-25.
59. ^ a b "War-Dogs.com". Archived from the original on 2008-03-15.
60. ^ "War Dog Memorial". The University of Tennessee. Archived from the original on 2009-08-10. Retrieved 2008-11-11.
61. ^ Simpson, Tara K. (September 22, 2007). "War Dog Memorial Tells Little-Known Tale". Stars and Stripes. Archived from the original on August 4, 2009. Retrieved July 23, 2010.
62. ^ "Alabama War Dogs Memorial Foundation". awdm.org. December 3, 2013. Archived from the original on December 3, 2013. Retrieved April 7, 2014. The most recent MWD memorial, and the only one west of the Mississippi, was dedicated on April 16, 2011, at the Rancho Coastal Humane Society in Encinitas, California.
63. ^ Graham, Shawn (16 APR 2015: p. 6). “Pax welcomes new military working dog”, in Tester, Vol., 72, No, 15. Naval Air Station Patuxent River. Archived in Knights Military Academy (Ko’G); also here: https://issuu.com/dcmilitary/docs/tester_041615 .
64. ^ "War Dogs". U.S. Army Quartermaster Museum. Archived from the original on 2008-05-23. Retrieved 2008-07-08.
65. ^ Smith, R. Jeffrey (26 May 2004). "General is said to have urged use of dogs". NBC News. Archived from the original on June 21, 2022. Retrieved 2022-06-21.
66. ^ Mikhail, Alan (July 27, 2017). "The moment in history when Muslims began to see dogs as dirty, impure, and evil". Quartz. Retrieved September 20, 2022.
67. ^ Goodman, Amy (August 29, 2007). "Gonzales' tortured legacy lingers". Seattle Post Intelligencer. Archived from the original on 2012-10-12. Retrieved September 20, 2022.
68. ^ a b White, Josh (July 26, 2005). "Abu Ghraib Dog Tactics Came From Guantanamo". The Washington Post. p. A14. Retrieved September 20, 2022.
69. ^ Diamond, John (July 19, 2004). "Top commanders in Iraq allowed dogs to be used". USA Today. Retrieved September 20, 2022.
70. ^ Burnam (2008) p. XIII-XIV
71. ^ Burnam (2008) p. 270-272
72. ^ Watson, Julie (May 27, 2011). "Demand for adopting retired military dogs soars after SEAL raid". The Star. Toronto.
73. ^ Knight, Charles; Sang, Kate (2020). "'At home, he's a pet, at work he's a colleague and my right arm': Police dogs and the emerging posthumanist agenda". Culture and Organization. 26 (5–6): 355–371\. doi:10.1080/14759551.2019.1622544.5–6&rft.pages=355-371&rft.date=2020&rft_id=info:doi/10.1080/14759551.2019.1622544&rft.aulast=Knight&rft.aufirst=Charles&rft.au=Sang,+Kate&rft_id=https://research.edgehill.ac.uk/en/publications/5aa3204f-6dc3-4660-9524-554a5e587936&rfr_id=info:sid/en.wikipedia.org:Dogs+in+warfare" class="Z3988">
74. ^ Wloszczyna, Susan (June 26, 2015). "Max". RogerEbert.com. Retrieved May 22, 2022.
75. ^ Kit, Borys (October 22, 2015). "'Harry Potter' Actor Tom Felton Joins Kate Mara in Indie War Hero Drama (Exclusive)". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved October 22, 2015.
76. ^ McNary, Dave (January 11, 2017). "Kate Mara Iraq War Hero Biopic 'Megan Leavey' Gets Release Date". Variety magazine. Retrieved January 11, 2017.
77. ^ "War Dog: A Soldier's Best Friend". HBO. Home Box Office, Inc. Archived from the original on 9 March 2022. Retrieved 15 January 2018.
78. ^ a b c Sparacino, Alyssa (2023-11-30). "10 Dog War Movies About Military Canines". BeChewy. Retrieved 2025-04-11.

## Further reading

[edit]

* Bulanda, Susan (2023). Military Dogs of World War II. Casemate Publishers. ISBN 978-1-63624-325-2.
* Dyer, Walter A. (2006). Pierrot the Carabinier: Dog of Belgium. Meadow Books. ISBN 1-84685-036-3.
* Richardson, E.H. (1920). British War Dogs; their training and psychology. London: Skeffington.
* Rohan, Jack (2006). Rags, The Dog Who Went to War. Liskeard: Diggory Press. ISBN 978-1-84685-364-7. OCLC 1348025.
* Varner, John; J.J. Varner (1983). Dogs of the Conquest. Norman, OK: University of Oklahoma Press. ISBN 978-0806117935.
* Whitridge-Smith, Bertha (2006). Only A Dog: The True Story of a Dog's Devotion to His Master During World War. Lightning Source. ISBN 978-1-84685-365-4.
* Wood, E. S.; R. M. Franklin (2005). Captain Loxley's Little Dog And Lassie The Life-saving Collie: Hero Dogs of the First World War Associated With The Sinking of H.M.S. Formidable. Burgress Hill: Diggory Press. ISBN 978-1-905363-13-1. OCLC 62306949.
* Burnam, John C. (2006). Dog Tags of Courage: Combat Infantrymen and War Dog Heroes in Vietnam. Lost Coast Press. ISBN 978-1-882897-88-9.
* Burnam, John C. (2008). A Soldier's Best Friend; Scout Dogs and their Handlers in the Vietnam War. Sterling Publishing. ISBN 978-1-4027-5447-0.
* Dowling, Mike C. (2011). Sergeant Rex: the unbreakable bond between a Marine and his military working dog. Atria Books. ISBN 9781451635966.
* Michael, Ritland; Gary Brozek (2013). Trident K9 Warriors: my tales from the training ground to the battlefield with elite Navy SEAL canines. St. Martin's Press. ISBN 9781250024978.
* Dogs in War, in The Illustrated Naval And Military Magazine, Vol. VIII, W. H. Allen, London, 1888, pages 169–176 (Dogs in War Online Googlebooks)

## External links

[edit]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Military working dogs.

* Born, K. M (January 8, 2007). "Quartermaster Dog Training Program". Fort Lee, Virginia: U.S. Army Quartermaster Museum. Archived from the original on 2013-01-20.
* Donn, Jeff (August 12, 2007). "Dogs in war receive loyalty, top care". Army Times. Associated Press.
* "K-9 History: The Dogs of War!" (not an official military site). Hahn Air Base, West Germany: 50th Air Police K-9 Section.
* "Military Working Dog Teams National Monument".
* Pitts, 2nd Lt. Mike (1966). "U.S. war dogs remembered". K-9 Heroes – Remembered. The United States War Dogs Association. Archived from the original on 2012-02-07. Retrieved 2006-08-11.`{{cite web}}`: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
* "Vietnam Security Police Association K-9 pages". Archived from the original on 2009-01-05. Retrieved 2007-08-12.
* "War Dogs". Fort Lee, Virginia: U.S. Army Quartermaster Museum. January 9, 2007. Archived from the original on May 23, 2008.
* "War dogs, military service dogs, battle dogs". The Bulldog Information Library.
* "War Dogs: Reference Bibliography". Fort Lee, Virginia: U.S. Army Quartermaster Museum. Archived from the original on 2007-10-08.
* "Military Working Dog Public Domain Images Collection".
* "Alabama War Dogs Memorial Foundation".
* "Dogs of the American Civil War: A Tribute".
* "Irish Examiner article". 13 May 2014.
* The short film Big Picture: Canine College is available for free viewing and download at the Internet Archive.
* Webcast Presentation by Marine Corps Sergeant Mike Dowling about Sergeant Rex his memoir about his deployment to Iraq in 2004 along with military working dog Rex
* Dogs of the French Special Forces, published by Le Monde
* War Dogs: The Use of Canines in Warfare

* v
* t
* e

Dogs

Types|

* African village dog
* Free-ranging dog
* Pye-dog
* Street dog
* Hairless dog
* Herding dog
* Collie
* Livestock guardian dog
* Sheep dog
* Hunting dog
* Cur
* Feist
* Lurcher
* Gun dog
* Pointer
* Retriever
* Setter
* Spaniel
* Water dog
* Hound
* Scenthound
* Basset
* Coonhound
* Foxhound
* Sighthound
* Longdog
* Terrier
* Bull-type terrier
* Pinscher
* Schnauzer
* Mastiff
* Bulldog
* Spitz
* Husky
* Laika
* Tugou
* Toy dog
* Bichon
* Turnspit dog

Breeds|

* List of breeds
* List of crossbreeds
* Mixed-breed dog
* Crossbreed
* Extinct breeds
* Most popular

Roles|

* Assistance dog
* Autism dog
* Guide dog
* Hearing dog
* Medical response dog
* Seizure dog
* Mobility assistance dog
* Therapy dog
* Psychiatric assistance dog
* Attack dog
* Bay dog
* Carriage dog
* Catch dog
* Companion dog
* Detection dog
* Fighting dog
* Guard dog
* Lap dog
* Meat dog
* Mercy dog
* Police dog
* usage by country
* Search and rescue dog
* Sled dog
* War dog

Behavior|

* Communication
* Barking
* Body language
* Howling
* Intelligence
* Dog–cat relationship

Human–dog
interaction|

* Animal testing
* Baiting
* Breed-specific legislation
* Cynanthropy
* Dog bite
* Dog beach
* Dog daycare
* Dog fighting
* Dog food
* dog biscuit
* 2007 recalls
* Dog grooming
* Dogs in religion
* Dogs in space
* Dog licence
* Dog meat
* Dog park
* Dog show
* Dog theft
* Dog sports
* Dog walking
* Fear of dogs
* Human–canine bond
* Origin of the domestic dog
* Therapy

Health|

* Aging (List of longest-living dogs)
* Anatomy
* Breeding
* Coat
* Conformation
* Diseases
* Dog food
* Odor
* Rabies in animals
* Rage syndrome
* Reproduction
* Skin disorders
* Vaccination

Training|

* Clicker
* Crate training
* Housebreaking
* Socialization

Related|

* Domesticated silver fox
* List of individual dogs
* List of fictional dogs
* Lists of dogs

* Category
* Portal

* v
* t
* e

Military animals

By animal|

* Camels
* Dogs
* Dolphins
* Elephants (Ballista elephant)
* Geese
* Horses
* Insects
* Moose
* Pigeons
* Pigeon vest
* Pigs

By use|

| Weapons|

* Animal-borne bombs
* Anti-tank dogs
* Bat bomb
* Blue Peacock nuclear mine
* Chariot
* Project Pigeon

|

Communications and surveillance|

* Acoustic Kitty
* Mail delivery by animal
* Pigeon photography
* War pigeon

Ceremonial|

* Military mascot
* Ravens of the Tower of London

Military funerals|

* Black Jack
* Riderless horse

Other|

* Animals in space
* Animal cyborg
* Damnatio ad bestias
* Exploding animal
* Ship's cat

By battle, war or era|

* Mongol expansion
* Napoleonic Wars
* World War I
* World War II

Memorials and awards|

* Animals in War Memorial (England)
* Animals in War Memorial (Canada)
* Dickin Medal
* Horse Memorial (South Africa)
* Purple poppy
* National War Dog Cemetery (Guam)
* War Dog Memorial (United States)

Personnel and units|

* 1st Military Working Dog Regiment
* King's Troop, Royal Horse Artillery
* Méhariste
* Royal Army Veterinary Corps
* United States Army Veterinary Corps

* v
* t
* e

Working animals

Dog|

* Assistance
* Detection
* Drafting
* Guard
* Guide
* Herding
* Hunting
* Livestock guardian
* Mercy
* Military working
* Police
* Search and rescue
* Sled
* Therapy
* Working

Horse|

* Draft
* Driving
* Guide
* Municipal
* Packhorse
* Pit pony
* Riding
* Stock

Other species|

* Asian elephant
* Bali cattle
* Camel
* Bactrian
* Dromedary
* Donkey
* Gayal
* Llama
* Mule
* Ox
* Reindeer
* Truffle hog
* Water buffalo
* Working rat
* Yak

Related topics|

* Human uses of animals
* Domestication
* list
* Livestock
* Military animal
* Pack animal
* Service animal

* Category:Working animals
* Commons images

* v
* t
* e

Animal rights

Topics (overviews, concepts, issues, cases)

| Overviews|

* Movement
* History (Ancient world)
* Timeline
* Europe
* United States
* By country or territory
* Argentina
* Australia
* Austria
* Azerbaijan
* Brazil
* Canada
* China
* Denmark
* Ethiopia
* France
* Germany
* Hong Kong
* India
* Indonesia
* Iran
* Israel
* Italy
* Japan
* Malaysia
* Mexico
* Netherlands
* Russia
* South Africa
* South Korea
* Spain
* Sweden
* Switzerland
* United Kingdom
* United States
* Anarchism
* Punk subculture
* Religion
* Christianity
* Indian religions
* Islam
* Women

|

Concepts|

* Abolitionism
* Ahimsa
* Animal cognition
* Animal consciousness
* Animal–industrial complex
* Animal law
* Animal machine
* Animal protectionism
* Animal trial
* Animal welfare
* Animal-free agriculture
* Anthropocentrism
* Argument from marginal cases
* Cambridge Declaration on Consciousness
* New York Declaration on Animal Consciousness
* Carnism
* Equal consideration of interests
* Emotion in animals
* Ethics of eating meat
* Ethics of uncertain sentience
* Holocaust analogy
* Insects in ethics
* Intrinsic value
* Meat paradox
* Mentophobia
* Moral circle expansion
* Nonviolence
* Nonkilling
* Open rescue
* Opposition to hunting
* Painism
* Personism
* Replaceability argument
* Sentientism
* Speciesism
* Total liberation
* Veganism
* Vegaphobia
* Vegetarianism

Issues|

| Animal
husbandry|

* Animal product
* Animal husbandry
* Battery cage
* Bile bear
* Chick culling
* Crocodiles
* CAFOs
* Cow-calf separation
* Feedback
* Fish
* Foam depopulation
* Fur
* Fur trade
* Insects
* Intensive
* Pigs
* Livestock
* Live export
* Poultry
* Wildlife
* Slaughter
* Slaughterhouse
* Ventilation shutdown
* Blood sport
* Badger-baiting
* Bear-baiting
* Boar-baiting
* Bull-baiting
* Donkey-baiting
* Duck-baiting
* Hog-baiting
* Human-baiting
* Hyena-baiting
* Lion-baiting
* Monkey-baiting
* Rat-baiting
* Wolf-baiting
* Cruelty
* Pest control (Varmint hunting)
* Sacrifice
* Working animal

|

Animal testing|

* History
* Alternatives
* Regulations
* Countries banning non-human ape experimentation
* Non-human primates
* Cosmetics
* Model organism
* Vivisection (Anti-vivisection movement)
* Organizations
* Huntingdon Life Sciences
* Nafovanny
* Green Scare (Operation Backfire)

Animal welfare|

* Abandoned pets
* Captivity
* Euthanasia (insects)
* Farmed insects
* Killing of animals
* Live food
* Pain
* Amphibians
* Cephalopods
* Crustaceans
* Fish
* Invertebrates
* Laboratory animals
* Sports

Fishing|

* Bait
* Commercial
* Farming
* Recreational

Wild animals|

* Culling
* Farming
* Hunting
* Techniques
* Coursing
* Spotlighting
* Trail hunting
* Trapping
* Treeing
* Trophy hunting
* Upland hunting
* Animals
* Alligators
* Bats
* Bears
* Birds
* Bison
* Boar
* Raccoons
* Deer
* Dolphins
* Foxes
* Hares
* Jackals
* Lions
* Mink
* Petrels
* Quail
* Rabbit
* Rooks
* Seals
* Squirrels
* Tigers
* Turtles
* Waterfowl
* Wild birds
* Whales
* Wolves
* Management
* Predation problem
* Suffering
* Trade
* Primates
* Ivory
* Welfare

Cases|

* Brown Dog affair
* Cambridge University primates
* McLibel case
* Monkey selfie copyright dispute
* Pit of despair
* SHAC
* Silver Spring monkeys
* University of California, Riverside 1985 laboratory raid
* Unnecessary Fuss
* War of the currents

Studies|

* Animal ethics
* Anthrozoology
* Critical animal studies
* Ethology
* Vegan studies

Methodologies|

* Direct Action Everywhere
* Hunt sabotage

Observances|

* World Animal Day
* World Day for Farmed Animals
* World Day for the End of Speciesism
* World Day for Laboratory Animals
* World Day for the End of Fishing
* World Vegan Day
* World Vegetarian Day

Advocates (academics, writers, activists)

| Academics
and writers|

| Contemporary|

* Carol J. Adams
* Aysha Akhtar
* Kristin Andrews
* Marc Bekoff
* Steven Best
* Paola Cavalieri
* Stephen R. L. Clark
* Alasdair Cochrane
* J. M. Coetzee
* Alice Crary
* David DeGrazia
* Daniel Dombrowski
* Sue Donaldson
* Josephine Donovan
* Joan Dunayer
* Mylan Engel
* Catia Faria
* Lawrence Finsen
* Michael W. Fox
* Gary L. Francione
* Robert Garner
* Valéry Giroux
* Lori Gruen
* John Hadley
* Oscar Horta
* Christine Korsgaard
* Dale Jamieson
* Kyle Johannsen
* Melanie Joy
* Hilda Kean
* Will Kymlicka
* Renan Larue
* Thomas Lepeltier
* Andrew Linzey
* Clair Linzey
* Dan Lyons
* David Nibert
* Martha Nussbaum
* Clare Palmer
* Charles Patterson
* David Pearce
* Jessica Pierce
* Evelyn Pluhar
* Mark Rowlands
* Richard D. Ryder
* Steve F. Sapontzis
* Jeff Sebo
* Jérôme Segal
* Peter Singer
* Gary Steiner
* Cass Sunstein
* David Sztybel
* Michael Tye
* Tatjana Višak
* Paul Waldau
* Corey Lee Wrenn

|

Historical|

* Tom Beauchamp
* Jeremy Bentham
* David Renaud Boullier
* Stephen St. C. Bostock
* Brigid Brophy
* Peter Buchan
* Mona Caird
* Priscilla Cohn
* Sherry Colb
* Henry Crowe
* Herman Daggett
* Richard Dean
* Wilhelm Dietler
* William Hamilton Drummond
* Edward Payson Evans
* T. Forster
* John Galsworthy
* Thomas G. Gentry
* V. A. Holmes-Gore
* Arthur Helps
* John Hildrop
* John Zephaniah Holwell
* Francis Hutcheson
* Soame Jenyns
* Marie Jungius
* Karl Christian Friedrich Krause
* John Lawrence
* Charles R. Magel
* Jean Meslier
* Mary Midgley
* J. Howard Moore
* José Ferrater Mora
* Robert Morris
* Leonard Nelson
* Edward Nicholson
* Siobhan O'Sullivan
* John Oswald
* Rod Preece
* Humphrey Primatt
* James Rachels
* Tom Regan
* Joseph Ritson
* Nathaniel Peabody Rogers
* Bernard Rollin
* Henry Stephens Salt
* Arthur Schopenhauer
* Laurids Smith
* John Styles
* Thomas Tryon
* Gary Varner
* Johann Friedrich Ludwig Volckmann
* Mary Anne Warren
* Adam Gottlieb Weigen
* Johann Heinrich Winckler
* Steven M. Wise
* Jon Wynne-Tyson
* Voltaire
* Thomas Young

Activists|

| Contemporary|

* James Aspey
* Greg Avery
* Matt Ball
* Martin Balluch
* Carole Baskin
* Barbi Twins
* Brigitte Bardot
* Gene Baur
* Yves Bonnardel
* Joey Carbstrong
* Aymeric Caron
* Jake Conroy
* Rod Coronado
* Karen Dawn
* Chris DeRose
* John Feldmann
* Bruce Friedrich
* Juliet Gellatley
* Tal Gilboa
* Antoine Goetschel
* Mark Gold
* Brigitte Gothière
* Alex Hershaft
* Wayne Hsiung
* Charlotte Laws
* Ronnie Lee
* Howard Lyman
* Evanna Lynch
* Bill Maher
* Keith Mann
* Jim Mason
* Dan Mathews
* Joaquin Phoenix
* Jo-Anne McArthur
* Luísa Mell
* Virginia McKenna
* Morrissey
* Ingrid Newkirk
* Heather Nicholson
* Jack Norris
* Ric O'Barry
* David Olivier
* Alex Pacheco
* Craig Rosebraugh
* Jasmin Singer
* Kim Stallwood
* Lynda Stoner
* Marianne Thieme
* Darren Thurston
* Christine Townend
* Wendy Turner-Webster
* Jerry Vlasak
* Louise Wallis
* Ed Winters
* Gary Yourofsky
* That Vegan Teacher

|

Historical|

* Cleveland Amory
* Henry B. Amos
* Bob Barker
* Ernest Bell
* William Brown
* Edith Carrington
* Joseph Collinson
* Frances Power Cobbe
* Joan Court
* Karen Davis
* Royal Dixon
* Muriel Dowding
* Elizabeth Farians
* Emarel Freshel
* André Géraud
* Lewis Gompertz
* James Granger
* Barry Horne
* Marie Huot
* Lizzy Lind af Hageby
* Jessie Mackay
* Alfred Mansfield Mitchell
* J. Isaac Pengelly
* Norm Phelps
* Jill Phipps
* Maud Ingersoll Probasco
* Hans Ruesch
* Magnus Schwantje
* Nell Shipman
* Henry Spira
* Joseph Stratton
* Andrew Tyler
* Gretchen Wyler

Movement (groups, parties)

| Groups|

| Contemporary|

* American Anti-Vivisection Society
* Animal Aid
* Animal Ethics
* Animal Justice
* Animal Justice Project
* Animal Legal Defense Fund
* Animal Liberation
* Animal Liberation Front
* Animal Liberation Press Office
* Animal Liberation Victoria
* Animal Rights Militia
* Animal Rising
* AnimaNaturalis
* Anti-Vivisection Coalition
* Anonymous for the Voiceless
* Beauty Without Cruelty
* Born Free Foundation
* Centre for Animals and Social Justice
* Chinese Animal Protection Network
* Cruelty Free International
* Direct Action Everywhere
* Doctors Against Animal Experiments
* Equanimal
* Every Animal
* Farm Animal Rights Movement
* Faunalytics
* Great Ape Project
* Hunt Saboteurs Association
* In Defense of Animals
* Korea Animal Rights Advocates
* L214
* Last Chance for Animals
* Massachusetts Animal Rights Coalition
* Mercy for Animals
* Oxford Centre for Animal Ethics
* People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals
* Revolutionary Cells – Animal Liberation Brigade
* Rise for Animals
* Sentience Politics
* Uncaged Campaigns
* United Activists for Animal Rights
* United Poultry Concerns
* UPF-Centre for Animal Ethics
* Viva!
* Voice for Animals Humane Society
* Voiceless

|

Historical|

* Canadian Anti-Vivisection Society
* Humanitarian League (1891–1919)
* Millennium Guild
* Order of the Golden Age
* Oxford Group

Parties|

* Animal Justice Party (Australia)
* Animal Politics EU (Europe)
* Animal Protection Party of Canada (Canada)
* Animal Justice Party of Finland (Finland)
* Animals' Party (Sweden)
* Animalist Movement (Italy)
* Animalist Party with the Environment (Spain)
* DierAnimal (Belgium)
* Human Environment Animal Protection Party (Germany)
* Italian Animalist Party (Italy)
* Party for the Animals (Netherlands)
* People Animals Nature (Portugal)
* V-Partei³ (Germany)

Activism|

* Animal Rights National Conference

Media (books, films, periodicals, albums)

| Books|

* On Abstinence from Eating Animals (3rd century)
* A Reasonable Plea for the Animal Creation (1746)
* A System of Moral Philosophy, in Three Books (1755)
* The Cry of Nature (1791)
* An Essay on Humanity to Animals (1798)
* An Essay on Abstinence from Animal Food, as a Moral Duty (1802)
* Moral Inquiries on the Situation of Man and of Brutes (1824)
* The Rights of Animals (1838)
* The Ethics of Diet (1883)
* A Plea for Vegetarianism and Other Essays (1886)
* Animals' Rights: Considered in Relation to Social Progress (1892)
* Evolutional Ethics and Animal Psychology (1897)
* Better-World Philosophy (1899)
* The Logic of Vegetarianism (1899)
* The Universal Kinship (1906)
* The New Ethics (1907)
* Animals, Men and Morals (1971)
* Animal Liberation (1975)
* The Case for Animal Rights (1983)
* Morals, Reason, and Animals (1987)
* Zoos and Animal Rights (1993)
* Animals, Property, and the Law (1995)
* The Lives of Animals (1999)
* Eternal Treblinka (2001)
* Do Animals Have Rights? (2005)
* Striking at the Roots (2008)
* An American Trilogy (2009)
* An Introduction to Animals and Political Theory (2010)
* Animal Rights Without Liberation (2012)
* Political Animals and Animal Politics (2014)
* Animal (De)liberation (2016)
* Beating Hearts: Abortion and Animal Rights (2016)
* Sentientist Politics (2018)
* Wild Animal Ethics (2020)
* Animal Ethics in the Wild (2022)
* Making a Stand for Animals (2022)
* Animal Rights Law (2023)
* The Moral Circle (2025)

|

Films|

* The Animals Film (1981)
* A Cow at My Table (1998)
* Shores of Silence (2000)
* The Witness (2000)
* Meet Your Meat (2002)
* Legally Blonde 2 (2003)
* The Meatrix (2003)
* Peaceable Kingdom (2004)
* Earthlings (2005)
* Behind the Mask (2006)
* Your Mommy Kills Animals (2007)
* Food, Inc. (2009)
* The Cove (2009)
* Peaceable Kingdom: The Journey Home (2009)
* Forks Over Knives (2011)
* Vegucated (2011)
* An Apology to Elephants (2013)
* Speciesism: The Movie (2013)
* The Ghosts in Our Machine (2013)
* Unlocking the Cage (2016)
* Land of Hope and Glory (2017)
* Carnage (2017)
* Okja (2017)
* Dominion (2018)
* Seaspiracy (2021)

Periodicals|

| Journals|

* Animal Sentience
* Between the Species
* Cahiers antispécistes
* Etica & Animali
* Journal of Animal Ethics
* Relations. Beyond Anthropocentrism
* The Animals' Defender

|

Magazines|

* Arkangel
* Bite Back
* Muutoksen kevät
* No Compromise
* Satya

Albums|

* Animal Liberation (1987)
* Tame Yourself (1991)
* Manifesto (2008)
* Salvation of Innocents (2014)
* Onward to Freedom (2014)

Fairs and exhibitions|

* Holocaust on your Plate (2003)

* Category ( 138 )

Authority control databases

International|

* FAST

National|

* United States
* France
* BnF data
* Israel

Other|

* Yale LUX

*[v]: View this template
*[t]: Discuss this template
*[e]: Edit this template