After heroically delivering a message in World War I, French pigeon Le Vaillant died of gas poisoning. A century later, it looks as though he and the thousands of other animals killed in the conflict will now be remembered with a monument in Paris.

An estimated 11 million horses, donkeys and mules were requisitioned during World War I, as well as 100,000 dogs and 200,000 pigeons (including Le Vaillant). While the role these animals played has been commemorated with national monuments in major cities such as London, Brussels and Ottawa, Paris has been slow to follow suit.

“There are a handful of monuments that already exist in the areas that were…