At the start of World War II, the United States military had no canine corps so it fell to civilians, primarily led by poodle breeder Alene Erlanger, to organize a drive for people to donate their pets for the war cause.
As Erlanger saw it, fathers, sons, uncles, and brothers were all enlisting… Was it so far-fetched to think that people might donate their dogs to fight for the nation?
Not at all. The patriotic spirit spoke to many, and donate they did. One of the pets donated was an 18-month-old German shepherd, named Lucky, owned by the Walton family who lived in Tamaqua, Pennsylvania. (Erlanger also donated many of her poodles; for her story, read “Poodles Against Hitler.”)
