Section 10 The Geneva Convention
As far back as the year 1870, the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals exerted itself to induce both sides in the great war then commencing to make some special provision for relieving, or terminating, the sufferings of horses wounded in battle.
In 1899 it made the same suggestion to the British War Office, but the reply of the Secretary of State was to the effect that “he is informed that soldiers always shoot badly wounded horses after, or during, a battle, whenever they are given time to do so, i.e. whenever the operation does not involve risk to human life. He fears that no more than this can be done unless and until some international convention extends to those who care for wounded animals the same protection for which the Geneva Convention provides in the case of men; and he would suggest that you should turn your efforts in that direction.”
Thereupon, Mr. Lawrence Pike, on November 23, addressed to The Times the letter which called forth the letter which follows.