Hero Pets Through History

At a time to pay respect to the brave efforts of those that lost their lives in the line of duty, we’re highlighting the valiant efforts of some notable hero pets that have saved lives throughout history. Pets have played a significant role in war throughout history, whether that is through being deployed as working animals, mascots, or companions to boost morale. 

Pets have been used throughout history in war, policing, disaster responses, and even in medical instances. In fact, there were over 16 million animals that served in WW1 alone. These hero pets have certainly earned the respect of humans, and have earned our condolences for all that have lost their lives in the line of duty, as with the courageous people that have paid the ultimate price serving their nation.

It is at this time that we’d like to share some of the incredible stories and legacies that have emerged from several notable pets throughout history. Keep reading to discover some of the hero pets through history.

Sergeant Stubby - An Unlikely Hero

In 1917, during WW1, a stray dog was found wandering Yale University campus, where soldiers were training for deployment in the war. A soldier, Private J. Robert Conroy, befriended the dog, where he quickly became a favourite among the infantry. It was there he was given the name, ‘Stubby’, earned due to his short tail. When it was time for deployment, Conroy smuggled Stubby onto the ship to France; upon being found, Stubby was then allowed to join the soldiers on the front lines as a mascot, after convincing the commanding officer with a ‘salute’ he’d learned from the troops.

Stubby’s legacy goes far beyond being a mascot, or his salute. It was on the battlefield that he earned his status, after multiple displays of incredible courage, despite his 30-pound frame! Once in the trenches of France, Stubby participated in 17 battles across 18 months, creating his legacy based on three main acts and accomplishments.

Stubby’s Service During The War

Gas Attack Alert - While in the trenches, Stubby fortunately survived a mustard gas attack. After this attack however, his sense of smell was incredibly heightened, which proved to be an incredibly useful skill that ended up saving countless lives. As he could now smell the incoming gas very early, Stubby was able to alert and wake soldiers before the gas reached them, which he did by barking and running through the trenches, saving as many soldiers as possible.

Locating the Wounded - Stubby’s keen sense of smell proved to be of more use than just for gas attacks. In fact, paired with his incredible hearing, he would be able to locate wounded soldiers in “no man’s land”. Stubby would find them, and would either lead medics to their location, or would stay with them and bark until help arrived.

Capturing a Spy - If you thought Stubby couldn’t get any more remarkable, you’d be wrong! Perhaps his most famous heroic act came when he was able to catch a German spy who was mapping out allied trenches. Upon finding the soldier, Stubby was able to recognise that the intruder wasn’t supposed to be there, and clung onto the soldier by his trousers. He held onto the spy, causing enough commotion to alert American soldiers, who then arrived to capture the infiltrator. It was for this act that he earned his title: ‘Sergeant Stubby’ - becoming the first dog to receive a rank in the U.S. armed forces.

Becoming The Most Decorated War Dog in History

Stubby was wounded twice during his service, which earned him two wound stripes on his blanket, which was sewn by grateful women of a French town. After the war had ended, he returned to USA a national hero, receiving the following honours and accomplishments:

• A medal from the Humane Society.

• Meeting three US Presidents.

• Becoming a lifetime member of the American Legion and the YMCA.

Stubby also became mascot for the Georgetown University Hoyas Football Team, for which he remained until his passing in 1926. Sergeant Stubby’s remains are now preserved and on display at the Smithsonian National Museum of American History.

Sergeant Stubby’s story serves as a testimony to the loyalty, courageousness, and resourcefulness that pets can have. In Stubby’s case, he ended up saving the lives of countless soldiers, accomplishing more than anyone could have imagined, becoming an unlikely hero during the war. 

Balto & Togo - The Sled Dog Heros

The next hero pets we’d like to highlight are Balto & Togo, two remarkable dogs who led a famous sled dog relay to save the lives of many. In 1925, the remote Alaskan town of Nome was heavily at risk of a deadly outbreak of diphtheria, which threatened to claim many lives of its residents, particularly children. Without a fresh supply of antitoxin serum, the outbreak was inevitable. With the port frozen over, and with planes grounded by brutal weather, the only solution to get the serum was via a dog sled relay of over 674 miles. It was there that 20 mushers, and 150 dogs would embark on this race against time.

Among those dogs were Balto and Togo, two dogs that were pivotal in accomplishing this vital, yet incredibly challenging mission. We’d like to shine a light on the incredible accomplishment that these two dogs largely attributed to, as part of a wider team that achieved greatness together.

The Achievement of These Two Hero Pets

Togo, born in 1913, was the lead dog of the renowned musher Leonhard Seppala. During this renowned serum run, Seppala and Togo had a mighty task on their hands. With Togo leading the way, they were to cover an incredible 261 miles, the most of any other team on the journey. Not only that, but they actually covered the most dangerous terrain, and endured the most treacherous weather! Facing hurricane-force windows, and -40°C temperatures, Togo successfully managed to guide the team through this incredibly challenging relay, cementing himself as a true hero pet.

Balto, born in 1919, led the team of musher Gunnar Kaasen. Balto’s legacy is that he ultimately led the team over the finish line, completing the 674-mile journey from Nenana to Nome. This incredible feat saw Balto lead the team for the last 55 miles into Nome, a gruelling final push battled through a blizzard, where visibility was almost non-existent. Balto was hailed as a hero, which indeed he was, and his accomplishment was highlighted nationwide, letting this story be known as one of the biggest accomplishments made by pets.

It is to be said that this incredible relay could have only been achieved with each of the 20 mushers, and the 150+ dogs that embarked on this near-impossible mission. You can read more about the story here.

Simon the Cat - An Extraordinary Navy Legend

In 1949, a navy ship, known as the HMS Amethyst, was attacked - an event which is now known as the Yangtze Incident. Aboard this vessel was the ship’s cat, Simon, a stray cat who (similarly to Sergeant Stubby) was found by a crew member, who then smuggled the cat on board the HMS Amethyst. When he was found, Simon was a tiny, malnourished cat, however he quickly became a beloved mascot on the ship, and went on to be an incredibly useful asset to the crew!

The Yangtze Incident

During the Chinese Civil War, the ship was sailing the Yangtze River when it was ambushed by heavy artillery. The vessel sustained major damage from the attack, wounding many crew members, and even claiming the life of the ship’s commander. At the time of the attack, Simon was in the captain’s cabin - it is there that he sustained multiple serious injuries, such as wounds, and severe burns.

Despite these injuries, Simon showed incredible strength and determination to keep going. It is from there that Simon gave his greatest contribution, putting himself among the hero pets through history.

An Unlikely Hero

The attack left the ship trapped for 101 days, which left Simon and the soldiers in cramped, stressful conditions. It was during this time that Simon proved to be a key morale booster, despite being in recovery himself. He would take the time to visit the wounded, and would provide comfort to them at a time where they really needed it.

It was not only his affection that aided the crewmates, but Simon proved to be the solution to a major problem that began to arise while the ship was trapped on the river. The ship became a victim of a large rat infestation, which threatened the limited remaining food supply keeping the crew alive. Luckily, Simon was an excellent rat hunter, which proved to be a vital skillset which may have saved many lives of those onboard the vessel. Even with his injuries, Simon remained hard at work, hunting down the rats until they were eliminated from the ship, cementing himself as a hero among the crewmates.

Simon’s Legacy

When the HMS Amethyst made its great escape from the river, it returned to Britain, where Simon was celebrated as a hero. He was awarded the PDSA Dickin Medal for his service, ensuring that his story will always be recognised in history.

Unfortunately, after the crew returned to England, the injuries proved too much for Simon, and he eventually passed away in November 1949. Over 800 people attended Simon’s funeral with full naval honours, including every surviving member of the ship, commemorating him as one of the bravest animals ever to be in the line of duty.

Apollo - Search and Rescue Bravery

When the tragedy of 9/11 struck in 2001, extreme bravery was required in order to conduct an immediate, large-scale search and rescue mission. Apollo, a German Shepherd with the NYPD K-9 Unit, and his handler, were one of the first teams to arrive at the scene, within 15 minutes of the South Tower’s collapse. 

The initial period proved to be incredibly dangerous, with debris, fire, and dust posing great threat to everyone at the scene. A falling piece of burning degree nearly cost Apollo his life, however, he was fortunate enough to sustain only a minor injury, and returned to work immediately to help save the lives of those in need.

For the next few days, Apollo and his handler - Peter Davis, worked tirelessly to navigate the brutal conditions in search of survivors. The fearlessness of Apollo to work through the sharp debris, and unrelenting heat from the fires, led him to save 8 lives, whilst also recovering the victims whose lives were lost as a result of the attack.

Apollo was just one of 300 brave dogs who stood in the line of duty after the attacks transpired. In 2002, all of their brave efforts were awarded with the PDSA Dickin Medal, earned by each of the dogs that worked at Ground Zero and the Pentagon. Apollo, and all the other dogs that helped with this mission are true examples of hero pets.

Sergeant Reckless - The Courageous Carrier Horse

Last, but certainly not least, we’d like to highlight the story of Sergeant Reckless, the courageous carrier horse whose service has led her to be one of the most decorated animal heroes in military history. 

This small Mongolian horse was intended to be used as an ammunition pack horse during The Korean War. What Reckless amassed to, however, turned out to be more than any of the soldiers ever expected. Her training eventually ended up involving navigating battlefields, and tolerating the sound of gunfire. Most crucially, Reckless learned how to make trips on her own, being able to find her way from the supply depot, to the firing positions, making this treacherous trip back and forth relentlessly.

During the Battle for Outpost Vegas in March 1953, one of the most fierce battles of the Korean War, was where Reckless truly showed her heroism. Over 5 days, Reckless achieved what many would deem nearly impossible, showcasing the resilience that pets have had throughout history. This entailed:

• 51 solo ammunition runs during just one day, during the middle of the battle.

• Fighting through 2 instances of wounding, never stopping once.

• Plenty of wounded soldiers carried to safety.

• Boosting the morale of the soldiers in the trenches during an incredibly distressing time.

For this unbelievable act of loyalty, bravery, and courageousness, Reckless was promoted to Sergeant, and was even awarded two Purple Hearts for her service. After the war, she was retired, living the rest of her life as a beloved figure across the USA, her legacy permanently etched in history.

Summary

We hope you’ve enjoyed learning the stories of some of these hero pets through history. We’d like for this blog to serve as a reminder of the loyalty of pets, and the incredible achievements that many pets have reached in the line of duty. In addition, we’d like to spare some thought to all the soldiers and pets that have lost their lives at war - lest we forget.

Remember that your pets safety should always be your priority. As a business crafting durable pet tags, we truly realise the importance of this. While pets are capable of remarkable things, as we’ve discussed in this blog, it is always important to ensure that they’re retrievable on their walks in the case they find themselves lost.

Thank you for reading.