‘Vets’ and ‘Pets’. Veterinary surgeons, animal charities and the National Air Raids Precautions Animals Committee in the Second World War
In this talk I recently gave to the Centre for Animal Welfare within the veterinary department of the University of Cambridge I explored the relationship between veterinary surgeons, the state and animal charities during the Second World War . In particular I looked at the work of NARPAC that was established by the state in August 1939 ostensibly ‘ ‘to advise on all problems affecting animals in wartime’. However ‘animals’ meant different things to different people.To animal charities involved in NARPAC such as the PDSA this meant cats and dogs; to the vets and the state it meant ‘farm’ animals of economic value.The tensions were inevitable from the start …
I intend to write this up in due course. It’s another feature of the Second World War that is not known about – and should be.
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