Dogs filled an important role in the care of the wounded in World War I. They were called Red Cross Dogs, Casualty Dogs and Sanitatshunde by the Germans. Sanitatshunde were trained to find wounded and dying men anywhere on the battlefield. Some were equipped with saddlebags of medical supplies so that the wounded men could treat themselves while they waited for more advanced medical care. This could be obtained by the dog returning to his handler and indicating that a wounded man had been found. For Sanitatshunde that was done by the dog taking its holder (a short strap hanging from his collar), in his mouth prior to returning back to his handler. Then the dog led help to the injured soldier. Medical dogs were also trained by national Red Cross societies to serve the country in which the specific society operated. In a much later conflict, the U.S. Army used German Shepherds to find wounded soldiers during the Korean War. Next: Dublin, the Trench Cat.
