Monday, September 8, 2014

Types Of Housing For Military Dogs In South California

By Kerri Stout


Owning a dog is a big responsibility for anyone and for those who must travel away from home for business it can be even more difficult. When you are a member of the armed forces that protect America you can receive orders for deployment at any time and if you have a pet dog you must find somewhere to keep it until you return. You may also encounter a working canine while on deployment that you develop a relationship with. Finding housing for military dogs in South California can prove to be a formidable task.

Single military personnel who have a dog as a pet and receive orders for deployment are often at a loss regarding their care while they are away from home. Many feel that giving up the dog is the only answer if family or friends are not available to assist with the problem. Long term boarding of the animal is far too expensive to consider and surrendering them to a shelter almost guarantees they will be euthanized.

Because this is such a common problem for military personnel agencies have been organized to assist with the problem. Their goal is to find people who are willing to foster the pets of soldiers while they are on active duty and they do this by posting the names and locations on internet bulletin boards that can be accessed by those in need. The fostering family is aware that they may have the dog for a very long time and many times will communicate with the soldier giving him or her updates on the dog and sharing pictures online of the dog.

Many of the agencies are locally owned while others have national coverage and some are affiliated with the military for funding and cater specifically to soldiers who have been sent to combat areas. The canine troops that are found in those combat zones are in need of homes when they retire from service with the troops.

Canines have been trained for use in combat zones officially since the second World War and typically when their usefulness ended they were abandoned in whatever country they were in or euthanized. Their duties included searching for explosives hidden in the ground, finding weapons caches and protecting their handlers from attack.

Agencies have been petitioning the armed forces to return these animals to the United States after they have served their country so well. If a soldier chose to bring his dog home with him for adoption the cost to him was well over fifteen hundred dollars. The government has since begun transporting them home at no cost to those adopting them.

People who wish to adopt them number into the hundreds every year. The average wait time for families wanting to adopt is at least six months. What awaits them is a peaceful retirement where they can live out the last few years of their lives in contentment and quiet.

Finding someone who will care for your dog, whether it is temporary fostering or a permanent adoption for a war hero has become a crucial part of our culture. The people and dogs this new awareness serves will hopefully be a permanent addition to the American population.




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