MILITARY DOGS GAIN PROTECTION, RIGHT TO COME HOME

Printer-friendly versionPrinter-friendly version Share this

 

 

By Miriam Raftery

November 25, 2016 (Washington D.C.) – The National Defense Authorization Act signed into law by President Barack Obama includes protection for military working dogs, which will now be guaranteed a return home and retirement in the U.S.

“Best of all, the people who know these dogs better than anyone — their handlers who served bravely alongside them on the hot desert sands of Iraq and Afghanistan and on bases around the world — will be given the first rights at adopting these canine heroes,” says Robin Ganzert,PhD, President of the Amreican Human Association, which pushed for the legislation.

Dogs have been used in the U.S. military since the Civil War, when they guarded soldiers.  In World War I, thousands of dogs were used as couriers and in World War II, Marines used dogs to locate enemy positions. Dogs led jungle patrols in Vietnam and helped detect bombs in Iraq and Afghanistan. 

Today, it’s been estimated that each military working dog saves the lives of 150 to 200 service members. That’s because dogs’ sense of smell is 100,000 times more sensitive than people, enabling them to sniff out explosives and local weapons caches.

Dogs also provide companionship to troops far away from home. Before Vietnam, dogs were brought home after their service ended.  But during the Vietnam War, dogs were classified as expendable equipment; many were euthanized or left behind by the military. 

In 2000, President Clinton signed Robby’s Law to enable warrior dogs to be adopted after their military service was over. But in 2014, the National Defense Authorization Act gave the military an option to transfer retired military dogs back to the U.S. – and many were left behind.

In 2014, American Humane Association paid for the transportation home of 21 military dogs, helping to reunite them with their former handlers. The Association began lobbying Congress, fighting to allow all military dogs to come home.

Finally, the 2016 measure passed with bipartisan support and was signed into law by President Barack Obama.

Ganzert concludes, “We thank these brave heroes for serving our country, and we are grateful that every one will finally get the retirement they deserve with those who care for them most.


Error message

Support community news in the public interest! As nonprofit news, we rely on donations from the public to fund our reporting -- not special interests. Please donate to sustain East County Magazine's local reporting and/or wildfire alerts at https://www.eastcountymedia.org/donate to help us keep people safe and informed across our region.