Why did they use animals in world war 1?

Answer 1

Dogs had a vital part to play in World War One as the complexes of trenches spread throughout the Western Front. Dogs were used as messengers and proved to be as reliable as soldiers in the dangerous job of running messages.

The complexities of trench warfare meant that communication was always a problem. Field communication systems were crude and there was always the very real possibility that vital messages from the front would never get back to headquarters or vice versa. Human runners were potentially large targets and weighed down by uniforms there was a chance that they would not get through. In the heat of a battle, there was even less of a chance of a runner getting through as the enemy's artillery was likely to be pounding your frontline and the area behind it. Vehicles were also problematic as they could breakdown or the 'roads' could have been reduced to a mushy pulp and travel on them made impossible.

Dogs were the obvious solution to this pressing problem. A trained dog was faster than a human runner, presented less of a target to a sniper and could travel over any terrain. Above all, dogs proved to be extremely reliable if they were well trained. A Dog Training school was established in Scotland and a recruit from this school traveled over 4000 metres on the Western Front with an important message to a brigade's headquarters. The dog traveled this distance (war records classed it as "very difficult" terrain) in less than sixty minutes. All other methods of communicating with the headquarters had failed - but the dog had got through.

Dogs also had another role to play on the Western Front. For men trapped in the horrors of trench warfare, a dog in the trenches (whether a messenger dog or not) was a psychological comfort that took away, if only for a short time, the horrors they lived through. It is said that Adolf Hitler kept a dog with him in the German trenches. For many soldiers on any of the sides that fought in the trenches, a dog must have reminded them of home comforts.

Answer 2

They were used a messengers. A collor around their neck held a small cylinder which held a message. They had the task of delivering the message to the recipient. the dogs were trained to run faster than man. But there was always the problem that the dog would not reach the recipient. either from getting lost to being killed by the enemy.

Answer 3

It will be better understood if I state some of the important roles animals played during WW1.

Carrier Pigeons were used to send messages to the homefront, or to the headquarters.

Pigeons were favored for thei strength to fly long distances and quickly.

Dogs were also used to carry messages. Dogs were preferred to humans because dogs can run faster, for longer and on any terrain. Dogs also gave comfort and remided the soldiers of home.

Horses were still being used in many areas to carry supplies and as transportation. Horses are fast runners, so escaping from danger was easier. They are also perfect for charging because of their size.

As you can see, animals were heavily relied on during WW1, these animals suffered epidemics though.

Answer 4

But they were. For example: http://www.bsca.info/patriots.html Which also mentions service in WW2

Answer 5

Dogs were used as messengers and proved to be as reliable as soldiers in the dangerous job of running messages.