Hannah E. Palsa

Hannah E. Palsa

Contributor

Hannah Palsa is a PhD student at Kansas State University. Her research focuses on Dogs for Defense and the K9 Corps of World War II. Her research is focused on the Dogs for Defense Program and the K9 Corps of World War II. She is interested in the development of dogs and soldiers within the War Dog Platoons, and how visual and material culture convinced owners to donate their animals to the war effort. She also is very interested how children processed and understood Dogs for Defense, particularly those who donated their own dogs to the cause.

History

Topper’s GI Benefits, Good Homes, and Vivisection Fears: The Treatment of World War II War Dog Veterans

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In 1946, a German Shepherd named Topper made headlines in newspapers throughout the United States. Discharged from the K-9 Corps in February 1945, Topper had, according to owner Horace Turner, “not been up to snuff.” Turner sought treatment for the dog under the GI Bill, claiming overexertion during military service had weakened Topper’s heart.[1] The… Read more →