Newark post., 1919-04-09
SOLDIERS WANT
TO BRING HOME
THEIR DOGS
Are Unwilling to Desert
Friends Who Stood By
Them Overseas

If the soldiers of the expeditionary
force have their way, the canine popu-
lation of this country will be mater
tally increased by the immigration of
some of the very best dogs of France,
Belgium and Germany. They are the
dogs who have stood by the doughboys
during the months they have been in
France, are according to the soldiers,
entitled to come back to this country
to enjoy the fruits and bones of peace
The soldiers are not certain just
where the government stands on the
question of free transportation for the
dogs of war. But all of them agree
that dogs should not be turned loose
on the pier of French embarkation
port to shift for themselves. They
stood by the soldiers during the fight
ing and the soldiers intend to stand by
them now.
This has been made clear in hun
dreds of letters that have been re-
ceived by the New York and European
editions of the New York papers, ask
ing that the matter be brought to the
attention of the War Department and
ruling obtained whereby the men
would be permitted to take their pets
on the transports. One of the letters,
typical of them all, reads:
To the Editor of the Herald
Sir:-I notice that England has
made provision for her soldiers to
bring back their dogs and l am inter-
ested to know if your paper will take
up the question and try to have our
government do the same thing.
There are a great many of US who
have dogs, some of which have done
good work in patrolling. Others are
just good pals. | have wolf dog
that l think the world of, as he does
of me, for he will not eat unless l
feed him. l would most certainly hate
to have to leave him over here. If
you can help the dog owners along to
get their dogs back to the U. S. A. it
will be most highly appreciated.
Another writer says that many of
the dogs owned by the soldiers rem
dered invaluable service in the tren-
ches, barking their warning of Boche
raiders and helping to keep up the
spirits of their masters. These dogs,
they say, are veterans of the severest
fighting and are entitled to as much
consideration as the soldiers. They
also believe these dogs are as worthy
of as good treatment as is given to
the canine despatch bearers officially
connected with the amy.
The members of the army of occu-
patton are worried about their dogs
for another reason. The old fiction,
become fact during the war, that can
ines were principal ingredient in the
manufacture of shot dogs" is caus-
ing them much unrest. The dog pets
of the forces stationed in Germany
are being jealousy guarded by their
, masters and they have no intention of
leaving them behind when they pack
their kits for the journey home.
The dogs are of many breeds, but
the most popular with the soldiers are
the Belgian wolf dogs and the Ger
man sheep dogs, big, shaggy fellows
not unlike the collie. There are also
many French bulldogs, acquired at
what looked to the soldiers like ridi-
culously low price for such dogs, but
which struck their former French ow-
ners as showing the height of extra
vagance. Regardless of the size OF
breed, each dog has won large place
in his masters affections and the
doughboys don't intend to leave theil
pets behind them if they can help it