The killing of cats and dogs horrifies many Brits today, but did you know there was a time when hundreds of thousands of family pets were voluntarily killed by people?

That’s according to one professor at the University of Greenwich, who has written a book called The Great Cat and Dog Massacre.

Hilda Kean, visiting professor of history at the university, tells the story of how 400,000 dogs and cats were killed in Britain in September 1939.

The book explains how the fear of imminent bombing and the desire to take an active role in preparing for war led to the killing of family pets, thus sparing the animals the suffering of a bombing raid.

This was seen as a positive action available to ordinary people, similar to sewing blackout curtains and digging up flower beds for vegetable patches.

This is despite, as Professor Kean describes, the Government, animal charities, and vets all advising people not to voluntarily euthanise their pets.

Professor Kean, who has served as an advisor on projects at the Museum of London, explains through the book how the pets that survived became key to the war effort by providing emotional assistance to those worn out by the bombing raids.

The Great Cat and Dog Massacre features new research from animal charities, as well as material from archives, diaries, and family stories.

You can buy the book on Amazon in either hardback or Kindle editions.