nature
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Less than a month after the German occupation of the Netherlands in May 1940, measures were introduced to regulate pigeon keeping. By June, the so-called “Pigeon Brigade” was established as part of the Amsterdam police force. The only surviving records of this regulation date back to 1943, detailing daily reports of free-flying pigeons being spotted.
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World War II was a global conflict that tested the limits of human resilience, innovation, and ingenuity. In addition to the millions of soldiers, civilians, and military machinery involved, a vast array of animals played indispensable roles throughout the war. From dogs and horses to pigeons and even reindeer, animals were employed for various purposes,
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Most of us will have heard the phrase, “It’s raining cats and dogs.” The phrase is supposed to have originated in England in the 17th century. City streets were filthy then, and heavy rain would occasionally carry along dead animals. Richard Brome’s The City Witt, 1652, has the line, ‘It shall rain dogs and polecats.’