Animals in War Memorial, War memorial at Park Lane, London, United Kingdom.
Animals in War Memorial is a monument on Park Lane in Westminster, London, consisting of bronze sculptures of horses, dogs, and mules set before a stone wall. The carved reliefs on the wall show scenes of animals deployed in military service.
The memorial was inspired by Jilly Cooper's 1983 book Animals in War and funded by £1.4 million in public donations, with Cooper as co-trustee. Designed by sculptor David Backhouse, it was unveiled on 24 November 2004 by Anne, Princess Royal. In May 2013 it was vandalised with spray paint, causing £2,766 in damage.
The memorial carries two inscriptions highlighting the involuntary service of animals in conflict. Visitors often leave flowers or poppies at its base, especially around remembrance days in November.
The memorial stands on Park Lane at its junction with Upper Brook Street, on the eastern edge of Hyde Park facing the road. It has two levels linked by steps through the curved stone wall, with the bronze horse and dog on the grassy upper slope. Approaching from Park Lane, the inscribed face of the wall is seen first.
The bronze sculptures show the animals in motion, as if passing through a gap in the wall. This arrangement is meant to symbolize the transition from war to peace.
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