A War Memorial Dedicated To Service Dogs
Imagine having a war memorial that is dedicated to service dogs, well that is exactly what you can find now in India. Being set up in Meerut is a memorial that is going to honor the animals that have offered their services and been lost. This is to be the very first war memorial of its kind and it is going to include the names of 300 dogs and more than 300 handlers. Not only dogs will be listed, there will also be names of horses and some mules too.
It is in honor of the animals who lost their lives in Kargil, during counter-insurgency operations back several years ago. Overall, the memorial will mostly be honoring the dogs but it is also bringing attention to those other animals. The memorial is to be located at the Remount and Veterinary Corps (RVC) Centre and College that is located in the Meerut region. The military is known for breeding a variety of animals, including horses, mules, and dogs too. They soon expect to receive final approval from the defense ministry. Those animals didn't get to choose whether or not they would sacrifice themselves for the cause, but they were included in the conflict regardless, and now their memory and efforts are being honored.
The upcoming memorial is expected to be one that is much similar to the National War Memorial that is already located in Delhi. However, the new memorial for the animals won't be as grand. There are hundreds of animals who lost their lives in the conflict, who were trained and used by the military. From hunting to chasing targets, there is a lot of value that they can provide. For those who lost their lives this memorial is coming as a token of remembrance and acknowledgement of that effort. There are a variety of memorials around the world that have been dedicated to animals. Currently, it is estimated that the army has more than 1,000 dogs working with it, thousands of mules, and more than 1,000 horses as well. They have often used top of the line animal breeds when training and using dogs for example, but in recent years they've been opting for more regional breeds.
It is true that dogs of many different varieties can offer a great deal of skill and value, in tracking and much more. It is truly amazing to see what these furry friends are capable of, how they can help to locate missing people, or pick up on scents that humans can't etc. Some dogs, for example, are well trained at detecting dead bodies or explosives, and being able to provide that sort of value can bring justice to wrongdoings and work to save lives. They truly are incredible in the value that they bring to the table and this memorial is recognizing all that they gave. Less conflict in the future would honor their memory even further, by working toward a reality where we won't need to add any more names to the memorial. India is not the only country that has used dogs and other animals in this way, because it's undeniable the sort of skill and value that they truly do have and bring to the table.
Source: The Print