The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1917-01-01
DUMB ANIMALS IN
WAR RIDDEN EUROPE
NOT Be FORGOTTEN

New York Dec. al.-The humane
societies of the principal cities and
towns throughout the United States
and Canada have been formally invit-
ed to cooperate with the American S.
|P. c. A., of New York, III organizing
a campaign to raise $500,000 with
which to carry on the work of the
Royal s. P. C. A, of Great Britain,
in alleviating suffering among the
dumb animals on the battlefields of
Europe. Prominent persons identi-
fled with humane work in each city,
are expected to take part in the
movement, which is already well I'M
der way in many places.
The campaign has just opened here
under the auspices of the American
S. p. G. A., whose board OF governors
has started the British fund with a
contribution of 81 1000. Subscrip-
tions by individuals are beginning to
come in, more than $1,000 having
been received already. An auxiliary
of the royal society has been formed
in New York with large member
ship of prominent of prominent hu-
manitarians, and branches are to be
established in the principal cities of
the United States and Canada, with
a view to raising the required half
million dollars within six months.
With the Duke of Portland as
chairman and the King and Queen
and many British notables as patrons,
the Royal Society has saved literally
tens of thousands of sick and wound
ed cavalry mounts, artillery horses,
and transport mules, which otherwise
would have been lost. 1t is the only
voluntary organization that is per-
mitted by the British war office to-
cooperate with the Army Veterinary
Corps at the front. Queen Alexandra
and King George and Queen Mary
were among the first subscribers to
its fund, which is expended under the
supervision of the war office, for
the erection, at the front of veteri-
nary hospitals with wards" and
beds" for thousands of horses.
For the first time in warfare ami
mails receive virtually the same care
as that given to sick and wounded
lances are used in the conveyance of
wounded animals, ,operNtions are per-
| formed under anesthetics, and the
! latest and most scientific methods of
treatment and nursing are employed.
The efforts to prevent needless suf-
fering are emphasized by numerous
cases in which humane workers, as
well as troopers, have been "potted''
because they exposed themselves I'M
der fire to end the misery of animals
sat had been injured. The appeal
to America for funds with which to
carry on the work was necessitated
by the financial exhaustion at home
according to Richard H. Rees, the
Royal Society's delegate in this
country.
an view of the necessity of the
work consequent upon the indispensa-
bility of horses and mules in the
war;" said Mr.. Rees, at was decided
to go on with the erection of addi-
tional hospitals at the front and to
trust that the financial requirements
will be met by Canada and the Unit
ed States. 1t is not generally known
that motor vehicles, Notwithstanding
their universal use in the war, cannot
usually advance within five miles of
the firing line, on account of trench
es, shell craters and other obstruc-
} tions. Horse and mule traction is,
! therefore, the only means of trans
port in the danger zones, and the
number of animals so employed runs
into the millions, of which about 100,-
900 in the British army alone are con-
stantly on the sick and wounded list /,