ONE MILLION PETS DESTROYED

Timaru Herald, Volume CXLVIII, Issue 21646, 6 May 1940, Page 8

ONE MILLION PETS DESTROYED

RESULTS OF WAR IN BRITAIN

(Special—By Air Mall)

LONDON. April 13.

So great has been the number of pets destroyed in England since the outbreak of war that the sale of dog licences has now fallen heavily. One post office in Central London reports that 25 per cent, fewer licences have been taken out.

Experts say that nearly 1,000.000 dogs and cats were destroyed in the early days of the war.

“There was no need for any of them to go,” Colonel Robert Storrey, chief of the National A.R.P. Animals Committee said this week. "One night last September I saw 80.000 buried in one night,’ ’h said. “It upset even hardened veterinary surgeons. “As soon as war wa& declared queues formed outside animal clinics all over London and in other big towns. Yards became so full of animals which had been destroyed that they could hold no more. I hope I never see anything like it again. There were dogs and cats of every size and shape. Alsatians, Scotties, terriers, hardly a breed you could think of. Many of the animals had obviously had first-class pedigrees and were very valuable. What made it so dreadful was that it was unnecessary.’’