Lessons learned during development of the horse gas mask helped pave the way for the first dog gas mask with a few differences in design, in particular provisions for eye and ear protection (Figure 4). (During WWII, the United States began issuing gas masks for dogs. Come and experience other stories of animals in war in the Memorial’s galleries. As with the other 4-legged military working animals (ie, horses), CBRN protection for dogs was first developed during World War I. Conroy tried to develop a gas mask for Stubby but it was hard to get anything that fit around his wide nose. Whether as messengers, guards or mascots, or simply by providing companionship to the men in the trenches, dogs served many vital roles. Making their way through the maze of trenches spread throughout the Western Front, dogs proved to be as reliable as soldiers in the dangerous job of running messages – and sometimes faster. It is unclear exactly when the mask was collected, but its existence demonstrates the importance of dogs during the First World War. The fur lining shows through the openings on either side of the neck that allow the mask to be fitted over the dog’s head. Before animals received customized gas masks, many soldiers simply attached human masks. The fabric of the headpiece has been machine-quilted to give it additional stiffness, which was particularly needed to prevent the end of the snout from collapsing around the dog’s nose. Although the mask has no filter canister, it may have been soaked in a chemical disinfectant such as phenol to provide its wearer with some protection against poisonous gases. This mask is made from ersatz fabric of coarsely woven paper and fibres. The allied naval blockade of Germany had forced the Germans to develop substitute materials, known as ersatz products. Collected off the battlefield by a member of the 41st Battalion, Australian Imperial Force, this gas mask was made for a German messenger dog. Animals serving beside them were also vulnerable. Due to the important role dogs played during WWI and WWII, many countries successfully developed animal gas masks. They have been used for a variety of purposes including fighting, logistics, communication, as mascosts, for detection and tracking, as guard dogs and for explosives detection. It was not just human soldiers on the Western Front during the First World War who needed protection from the new dangers of chemical warfare. Dogs were the most versatile of all animals used in war.
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