Thursday, January 7, 2016

Military Dog Adoption As A Way To Help Heroic Canines

By Joseph Reed


When you want to add a four-legged member to you family, there are any number of options open to you. Buying a pup, getting a rescue from an animal shelter or taking in a ex-breeding bitch all have good and bad points. One choice that many people find attractive is military dog adoption. These extraordinary canines are dear to us all.

Many breeds respond well to basic training and can learn to sit, stay or walk nicely on a lead. Intelligence and a desire to please through work are traits needed to join the armed forces. Breeds which respond well to the rigors of this work include Labradors, German Shepherds and others who herd or scent well. Dogs and bitches are treated equally; it is the ability to do the job that is important.

As with people, a canine career can be long or short. Some are cut from the early stages or the training and might be only a year or so old when they need to be re-homed. Others may serve many, many years before being retired in the twilight of their life. Others still might be discharged sometime in-between. However with so many people wanting to help a so few dogs, you may not be able to choose between young or old.

Kennel masters usually give priority to handlers and those who have worked with K9 units in any of the services. As a member of the general public you may find yourself at waiting a long time to get the animal you would like. The wait may be months or years so patience is a must.

Some of these heroes, like their soldier counterparts, retire due to injury. The very nature of the work they do puts them in harm's way. Each one is given a health check before going to their new home and this part of the process can also take a little time. Vets have to prioritize those animals on active service before the ones that are being retired.

All around the world the armored services use K9 units for security and tracking. These bases often re-home to locals or those working with the dogs. Within the USA you can check with Lackland Air Base near San Antonio Tx to arrange to take one of the special soldiers if they have any available.

Wherever you get your new family member, the process is very similar. After filling out an application and meeting the requirements or any responsible owner, you will also be required to sign a waiver stating that you understand the animal may bite. This ensures you understand fully the nature of the animal you are taking on.

Families wishing to care for one of these superb creatures must be willing to spend time and effort to support them and help them adjust to civilian life. They are heroes and deserve to have a loving home for the rest of their days. It might have only been a few months or even weeks, but these four-legged soldiers have done a great service for their country.




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