Clubs Offering:
Whether you learned about it in history class or, at the very least, from the iconic movie of the same name, there are very few people who don’t know the story of the RMS Titanic, the luxury ocean liner that sank in the North Atlantic Ocean on April 15, 1912. More than 1500 people died in the disaster, but they weren’t the only casualties. The ship carried at least twelve dogs, only three of which survived.
First-class passengers often traveled with their pets. The Titanic was equipped with a first-rate kennel and the dogs were well-cared for, including daily exercise on deck. There was even an informal dog show scheduled for April 15, which, sadly, never took place. Aside from the kenneled dogs, some first-class passengers kept pets in their staterooms, with the crew turning a blind eye.
How Many Dogs Survived the Titanic?
The three dogs that survived had a few things in common: they were being kept in staterooms, not in the kennel, and they were tiny. They were taken into lifeboats by their owners, most likely wrapped in blankets or tucked under a coat.
Helen Bishop survived the Titanic, later reporting that her dog, Frou-Frou latched onto her dress with his teeth when she left him in their cabin. She reportedly said, “The loss of my little dog hurt me very much. I will never forget how he dragged on my clothes. He so wanted to accompany me.”
It’s hard to imagine being any part of this terrible tragedy, even harder to imagine having to make the decision to leave your dog when the ship began to sink… Would you have been able to do it?
While the world is remembering the tragic events of April 14th and 15th, we’re taking a moment to honor and remember the dogs of the Titanic.
It is suspected that many more dogs were on board that day, but because they were listed as cargo in the ship’s records, most details have been lost. It has been said that Titanic had excellent kennel facilities, even planning a dog show for April 15th, 1912, the very day that the ship disappeared below the ocean’s surface in the very early morning hours.
In a particularly touching account, one passenger, 50-year old Ann Elizabeth Isham, was said to have visited her Great Dane in the ship’s kennels daily. At one point, Isham was seated in a life boat, but when told that her dog was too large to join her, she exited the boat. Her body was found several days later, clutching onto her dog in the icy waters.
The Dogs Aboard the Titanic
This year, April 15th 2018 marks the 106th anniversary of the day the “unsinkable ship,” the Titanic, sank. This historic event evokes feelings of awe and sadness each year, but more importantly it gives us an opportunity to honor those who were lost in this tragic event.
Did you know, though, that twelve of the Titanics passengers were of the furry quadruped variety? Thats right! Twelve dogs were aboard the ship when it met its fateful end. So what happened to the dogs? And how did they come to be aboard the ship in the first place?
It is a confirmed fact that 12 dogs traveled on the Titanic. All of them were accompanying their owners on the voyage to America. It is reported that amongst the variety of breeds being transported were a few Airedales, a Fox Terrier, King Charles Spaniel, Toy Poodle, French Bulldog, Chow-chow, Pekinese and two Pomeranians.
Nine of the dogs were kept in an onboard kennel facility where they were walked and fed each day. The remaining three dogs were smaller breeds and were allowed to stay in the rooms of their first-class owners.
Before the ships early demise, a plan to hold a small dog show was in the works. Unfortunately, this idea was never realized.
Tragically, the nine dogs kept in the kennel perished the day the Titanic sank. Some of the stories linked to that event are especially heart-wrenching. For example, Helen Bishop for example, survived the Titanic but was forced to leave her little Frou-Frou behind. She reportedly said, “The loss of my little dog hurt me very much. I will never forget how he dragged on my clothes. He so wanted to accompany me.”
Another devoted pet owner, Ann Elizabeth Isham, was already seated in a lifeboat when she realized her precious Great Dane was being left behind. She jumped back onboard and headed for the ships kennel, but she never made it out. A few days later, she was found deceased in the icy waters, hugging the Great Dane tightly.
Happily, three of the dogs onboard did survive the sinking. They were all smaller breeds that could easily be carried by their owners. Elizabeth Rothschild escaped with her life and her small Pomeranian, Henry and Myra Harper (of Harper & Row publishing) managed to save Sun Yat-sen, their Pekinese and a Pomeranian puppy named Lady made it out with her owner, Miss Margaret Hays.
The tale of the Titanic is certainly a sad one. It reminds us that public opinion is not always right and that life shouldnt be taken for granted. But as we examine the dogs on the Titanic, we also see a timeless story of the love between pets and their owners shine through, even in the face of great tragedy. May we take today to honor that love and remember the people and animals that perished 106 years ago.