Friends of the Wingecarribee Animal Shelter president Deborah Barnes on ANZAC Day and animals in service

"The Australian War Memorial started to recognise animals in war quite a few years back now," Ms Barnes said.

"Particularly in the First World War there was a lot of animals that served."

READ MORE:

According to Ms Barnes those animals included horses used for medical evacuations and transport, donkeys and elephants during the Second World War for "heavy lifting".

"Dogs have been used for search and rescue; guard dogs and scouts and in the recent wars 'mine' dogs," Ms Barnes said.

"FoWAS has been laying a wreath for the animals for many years now. My first experience of it was in 2010 and we've always been welcomed at the Berrima Anzac Day services."

This year FoWAS member and volunteer Shane Tobler, who is an Army veteran, will lay a wreath on behalf of the organisation with his dog Archimedes.

"They'll be laying a traditional wreath with purple poppies in it to symbolise animals that have died in conflicts and those serving today," Ms Barnes said.

"The Australian War Memorial has got on board with this. They say that on Anzac Day people should wear a purple poppy and a red poppy to remember both the servicemen and the four-legged diggers that served in the wars."

According to Australian War Memorial statistics more than eight million animals were sacrificed during World War I, Ms Barnes said.

"People that are involved in Anzac Day because they have family might have an awareness of the significance because we talk about our horses, donkeys and even pigeons," she said.

"But then they don't really think about all the other animals like camels and even smaller dogs that were used to control rats. It's a timely reminder and it is important.

"It's not about the $2 we make selling a purple poppy, which goes to animals in care at the shelter. It's more about the awareness of what animals do for us. Companion animals play such a huge role in the community and are still a part of the defense forces," Ms Barnes said.

Even though Australia is no longer fighting the war in Afghanistan, Ms Barnes said that animals continued to play a crucial role: "To this day they do bomb detection and other things."

Knitted FoWAS purple poppies will be sold for $2 on Anzac Day with all proceeds going to animals in care.

"Margarett Salter knits the purple poppies for us for nothing," Ms Barnes said. "She's a wonderful local woman who also knits red poppies for Legacy."

Our journalists work hard to provide local, up-to-date news to the community. This is how you can access our trusted content: