Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1917-11-04
WAR DOCS IMPORTANT
AIDS TO- ALLIED ARMIES
Animals of Many Breeds Given to
Ministry for Duration of HOSTILE
ties-Rendcr Good Service.
BLUE CROSS sUCCoRs THEM
Organization Cares for Wounded
CANNES and Nurses Them Back to
Health After Trying Months OF
Service in First-Line Trenches.

conveys. such small vehicles, NIL
trailleuses and sleishs, as aids with
the sanitary corps. to seek out the
wounded. and for rat hunting.
The greater number of the CANNES
used in these services are dogs Of ILL
defined breed. Most Of them are mon
grels drawn from amongst the peasant
dogs.
Investigators have. however. come
across gone. and these are the most
useful, dogs with much better pedi-
gree, t. o., some Of the champions from
the canine exhibitions. Mount st. Ber-
nards. mastins. Bordeaux. bull dogs.
Alaska dogs. Newfoundland dogs. col
lies. bobtails. Alsatian dogs (some-
times called German sheep dogs). fox
terriers, bull terriers. Scotch terriers.
dandy dinmont. Aberdeen terriers. Irish
terriers, bull dogs. Skye terriers.
These dogs have been given. all OF
them. to the ministry Of war for the
duration of hostilities
They undergo first OF all an ex-
animation. that is to say, go before
board with a special Jury before be-
ing accepted. The dogs then accept
ed arc placed in centers for instruc-
ton, preparation, and training. There
they arc entrusted to experienced
trainers who make them familiar with
their position soldiers. Courage.
discipline sangfroid. prudence and dis
patch are taught them. 1t Is only after
a fairly long course In these schools
that the dogs are sent TO, tine front and
start their service.
AS yentincls they are used In the
trenches, at listening posts. at obser-
fnr 1nn
mount guard quite Indifferent TO dan
ger with scrupulous conscientiousness.
an unnerving and firing work 1 know
of dogs which have saved whole com
panies of infantry la time OF fog, snow
Inn; by their growing the very near
presence of German forces which
otherwise could not have been detect
CARRY ORDERS TO UNITS
THROUGH HEAVY SHELI.-FIRE
The dogs carry orders and inssruc-
tious from one unit to another, across
country exposed to shell IRE. iheS
carry them very quickly and through
places inaccessible to man. while tax
ing no notice OF the snares set. ior
them by the enemy. 1t is specially
among this class that there Is inc
largest number OF wounded. quite
lately It was necessary TO tend ooE
which had it's jaw broken while car
Of its wound, carried out it's mission
to the end This dog Is now cured.
Likewise cured recently is dog when
acted as courier without respite nj
Verdun for four months and WHICH
overstrained, had developed Il nervous
complaint, -. Vitus dance.
In the VosgeS, In Lorraine ana IN
Alsnce the dogs often work with trans
port and carriage of provisions mar
messed TO vehicles constructed TOT this
purpose. The dogs like this work,
which they carry out with rapidity.
energy and pleasure.
These dogs attached as suaros 10
depots of arms and munitions are per-
feet and Trustworthy guides. swirl III
attack and defense.
IA to the rat ca,chers these. like
the sentincls, are the best friends or
the Poiiu, living with him, faithful. in
telligent aTcctionate companions. the
soldiers true friend. Their watchfui-
ness enables him to sleep and their
gayety amuses him.
The diseases from which they most
frequently suffer in these last three
classes are bad skin diseases. mango
glandular mango. chronic cnteritfs,
stomachic liberation, scurvy and all the
complaints which come from Il regime
which is necessarily heating, irregular
and UNMARRIED.
Ambulance dogs are required to dis
cover the WOUnCeQ and 10 go ana ltHu
the ambulances. The dogs carry to the
latter the cap OF the wounded man, or
some object indicating the unit to
which he belonged. Other dogs, diff
ferently trained, call ambulances to
the wounded by means of prearranged
cries.
EACH DOG CARRIES WALLET
WITH FIRST-AID DRESSINGS
All these dogs wear round their
r1rs, % Ia a
and various rough dressings for FIRST
aid. These dogs are accustomed to
cover all sorts of country. to clear all
obstacles and to have no fear of cam
non or shell fire. They have proved
themselves valuable since the declara-
ton Of war and for nearly three years
they have carried out their laborious
and perilous work with the ambulances
to which they are attached in the most
heavily bomharded districts
1t is with these dogs then that the
Blue Cross has to do. 1t is for them
that the canine infrmaries have been
formed.
This organization gathers together
those with broken limbs, wounds
caused by shot and shell, burns caused
by jets of flaming liquid the teaf from
she'll shock and the nois. of battle, the
physically overridden, suffer from
emaciation, entertis. diarrhea. CO.
sSe-t d'io hCi .1cS' tHOSc mental
ly overstrainsd with st. Vitus dance.
nervous movements insomnia, those
suffering from respiratory diseases,
pneumonia. quinsy. bronchitis, etc
The Blue Cross" has founded ken
nels at the base and at the front. The
former are close to the training CEN
ters. the latter are with tho armies.
Each establishment consists of a GER
tilted veterinary surgeon. several at
PENDANTS and groons. All is organized
with q view to the most perfect clean
( liness OF the building, the most scrupu-
lous care of the animals. and the strict
est attention to the rules of hygiene.
with 1atticed boxes isolation huts,
baths for cleanliness. sulphur baths,
V paddocks. etc
The Blue Cross War Dog Service de-
~ ponds entirely upon voluntary sub
ecriptions.