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Pet Massacre

The British Pet Massacre

(British Pet Owners waiting in line to euthanize their healthy Pets between September 1939 and September 1940.)

The British Pet Massacre took place in the first days of September 1939, after the United Kingdom declared War on Nazi Germany and again during the first days of the Germans bombing British Cities in September 1940.

A Quarter of all the Cats and Dogs in the United Kingdom (England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland) were euthanized by their Owners for fear that they couldn’t feed them during Wartime or that they would be hurt or killed by a German Bomb.

400,000 Healthy Cats and Dogs were euthanized across the United Kingdom from September 3-7, 1939.

It was caused by War Panic.

A British Government Pamphlet was later created (after the fact) advising Pet Owners on Wartime Animal Care provided some encouragement for the killing, noting euthanasia an option for People unable to take their Pets with them when evacuating.

The National Air Raid Precautions Animals Committee (NARPAC) was formed to decide what to do with Pets during Wartime.

The Committee was worried that when People evacuated, they might leave their Pets behind. In response to that fear, NARPAC published a Pamphlet titled "Advice to Animal Owners."

NARPAC's messaging was primarily focused on evacuation, suggesting moving Pets from the big Cities and into the Countryside; but a line at the end noted that "if you cannot place them in the care of Neighbours, it really is kindest to have them destroyed."

Many Veterinarian Groups such as the People's Dispensary for Sick Animals (PDSA) and the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (RSPCA) were against these drastic measures, but their Hospitals were still flooded with Pet Owners in the first few days of the War.

PDSA founder Maria Dickin reported: "Our technical officers called upon to perform this unhappy duty will never forget the tragedy of those days."

Hilda Kean wrote that lines for London Clinics stretched a half mile.

The event triggered a shortage of Chloroform and a waste management challenge.

(British Pamphlet about how to euthanize your Pets)

A Book about the British Pet Massacre was published in 2017.

It’s called “The Great Cat and Dog Massacre” and goes through the Initial War Panic that led Pet Owners to euthanize their healthy Cats and Dogs and the Grief of their decision after the fact.

When the Germans started to bomb London and other British Cities  - The Blitz - a year after the War began (in September 1940) more Pet Owners decided to euthanize their Dogs and Cats.

300,000 Cats and Dogs were euthanized at this time.

The Blitz lasted 8 months (September 7, 1940-May 16, 1941) and saw 43,000 British Civilians killed, 139,000 British Civilians wounded and 2 Million Houses destroyed.

Battersea Dogs Home, against the trend to euthanize healthy Cats and Dogs , managed to feed and care for 145,000 Dogs during the course of the War and provided a field in Ilford as a Pet Cemetery, where about 500,000 Animals were buried, many from the first week of the War.

In total 750,000 healthy Cats and Dogs were euthanized across the United Kingdom in September 1939 and September 1940.

The Number is much higher and doesn’t include the Pet Owners who euthanized their own Pets themselves.

After 1945 the British Pet Massacre was all but forgotten until the 2017 Book about it was published.

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