War Memorials for animals, who silently served the nation

Given that military service animals have memorials in many nations, including the Animals in War Memorials in London and Ottawa, the War Dog Memorial in Pennsylvania, US, and War Animal Rose Garden in Toowoomba, Australia, a similar Indian cenotaph reportedly on the anvil in Meerut would be a welcome addition indeed.

Dedicated to the dogs, horses and mules and their human handlers who died defending this nation, the memorial would be very much in keeping with India’s long tradition of honouring animals in war.

From the 3rd century BC till the 18th century, many animals have featured alongside humans in ‘hero stones’ called veera sila or veergals commemorating bravery and epic battles. These have been found in many places in south India and are still revered by locals.


One, for instance, is dedicated to a 10th-century hound named Kali who belonged to King Butuga II of the Western Ganga dynasty and participated in the battle against Rajaditya Chola but eventually died fighting a wild boar.

The contribution of animals in battles has been and still remains significant. The dedication on the memorial in London makes two poignant points in this regard. One is, “From the pigeon to the elephant they all played a vital role in every region of the world in the cause of human freedom,” and the other, “They had no choice”.