Break the cycle for working animals this Remembrance Week
In WW1 and WW2, working animals supported soldiers through unimaginable conditions.
Every year around Remembrance Week, Brooke pauses to reflect on the millions of horses, donkeys and mules who served alongside people in times of war.
These animals carried supplies, pulled heavy loads and bore soldiers into battle. Many never came home. Their sacrifice is woven into our shared history, a reminder of both the deep resilience of human–animal partnership and the cost of conflict.
Working animals have always been lifelines. In the First and Second World Wars, horses and donkeys carried food, ammunition and the injured through unimaginable conditions.
Today, while the battlefields may look different, these animals are still relied upon by families caught up in hardship and uncertainty.
Across regions facing crisis or instability, horses, donkeys and mules continue to transport food, water, and vital supplies. For many families, they remain the difference between survival and despair.
This resilience mirrors the role they once played during wartime, yet too often, the hardships they endure remain unseen.
A soldier with his unit's mascot donkey, 1943 (credit: US National Archives collection).
The lesson from history is clear: we cannot allow this suffering to repeat itself. Brooke’s mission is to break the cycle by ensuring working animals of today and tomorrow don’t face the same fate as those of the past.
We do this through:
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Emergency response – delivering urgent care when crises hit, such as our recent emergency appeal to help animals in the Pakistan floods.
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Veterinary services – providing life-saving treatment and preventative care.
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Education for owners – equipping communities with knowledge to protect their animals.
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Policy influence – working with governments to safeguard animals in times of peace and conflict.
Each of these actions strengthens the bond between people and animals - a bond that has endured for centuries and must be protected for the future.
Today, horses, donkeys and mules work in some of the most challenging environments across Asia, Africa and Latin America.
Brooke’s Every Horse Remembered campaign is not just about looking back with respect; it’s also about looking forward with responsibility. As we honour the animals who gave their lives in the past, we must act to protect those alive today.
Supporting Brooke helps to ensure working animals aren’t forgotten, left behind, or condemned to repeat history’s hardship. So we can build a kinder, more compassionate future.