Baron Georg Haas was an animal lover who kept as many as 200 dogs on the grounds of his home, Castle Bitov in the Czech Republic. When they died he stuffed some of them and the collection is now a tourist attraction.
Unfortunately, Baron Haas was not allowed too much time to enjoy his quirky collection. Despite being a vocal anti-Fascist during the Second World War, he was nevertheless an ethnic German. At the end of the war he was given just 24 hours by Czech partisans to leave everything he owned behind and get out of the country.
At the age of 64, and no-doubt broken-hearted at leaving his beloved castle and menagerie, he was forced to leave by foot across the Austrian border. He was later found dead, having shot himself.
The idea of stuffing a beloved pet might seem strange to a lot of people but I admit to having considered taxidermy (albeit only half seriously) when some of my dear pets died.
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