The Pet Apocalypse

When the United Kingdom declared war on Germany on September 3, 1939, London was expected to be one of the first cities to come under German attack. To prepare for this, the National Air Raid Precautions Animals Committee (NARPAC) advised all pet owners to either transfer their pets to the countryside or have them put down at one of the country's designated euthanasia clinics. Back then, England had a very high percentage of pet ownership, with about twice as many domestic animals as humans.

Over the next several days, as many as 750,000 pets were taken to be killed by their owners, making them one of the first British fatalities of the war. Buildings were turned into euthanasia centers, and veterinarians worked around the clock to euthanize as many animals as possible. Animal protection organizations ran out of chloroform, and shelters ran out of burial places. One nearby sanatorium provided a field where half a million pet carcasses were interred.

• Year: 1939
• Location: London, England
• Deaths: 750,000 pets