Adopting a War Dog

Since WW II Military dogs have had a place in the U.S. armed forces. Officially, when retired, military dogs are considered excess or surplus equipment. The consequence of this classification is that dogs were routinely left in theatre because transporting them back to the states was considered a misuse of federal funds. Traditionally, the dogs were either turned over to locals or put down. In 2000 President Clinton signed a bill that allowed the civilian adoption of these animals. While this new law allowed these animals to be given new homes, it still left the problem of how they would get back to the states where they could be adopted. These days, the animals commonly flown back to the states using private funds. There is a movement to change this.

The nonprofit Military Working Dog Adoptions, founded by Debbie Kandoll to raise awareness about the retired dogs, make sure they are treated well, and help people through the process of adopting the animals, wants the military to reclassify the dogs as canine veterans. That would take an act of Congress, but it could also ensure that all dogs shipped out of the United States are brought back.

"Uncle Sam gave the dogs a ride over. He should give them a ride back," Kandoll said. "To me, it's like leaving a soldier behind."

To adopt a military dog see Kandoll's site Military Working Dog Adoptions and the Lackland Air force base site where they are bred and trained.

For more about military dogs a checkout The Dogs of War: Beloved Comrades in Afghanistan", Navy Seal Team 6 dog, and War dogs in Afghanistan.