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Facts About Military Dog Adoption

By Enid Hinton


After giving their best years to the service of the nation, it is fair for military dogs to have a nice home where they can be loved for the rest of their lives. Military dog adoption was made possible after legislation was passed in 2000. Prior to that period, the creatures were euthanized when their active lives were over. There is a defined process which allows former handlers the first opportunity to adopt. Other law enforcement agencies are next in line before qualified civilians can be considered.

The first consideration is given to the officers who were handling the animals during their service. It is necessary to ensure the bond created between the canine and its handler is maintained whenever possible. It will even be better if the two will be retiring at the same time. They will continue with a new life out of active service and maintain their close relationship.

An interview is then conducted in the presence of the feline to establish whether it is comfortable with the new owner. The military want the creatures to end up in homes where they will get the best care for the rest of their existence. There are officers who are responsible for finding suitable families to adopt the animals.

Experts in this area form oversight bodies. These organizations are formed to ensure their members offer the best service by maintaining high levels of proficiency. If you are in need of for a service provider, you can visit the concerned body for recommendations. These bodies are very strict and will solely accept people who meet certain standards.

Law enforcement agencies are allowed to adopt dogs retiring from the military. However, this rarely happens as the retiring animals are usually older than what the law enforcers require. Most dogs retire after about a decade in service. Law enforcers will not be interested in them if they are more than four years old.

Handlers who adopt their companions while still abroad are faced with the challenge of transporting the creatures back home. Currently, dogs are classified as equipment and therefore are not entitled to transport back home on retirement. There are some organizations that offer assistance to the handlers to have their pets sent home. These organizations may fully or partly meet the cost of sending the animal to its new home.

While many people are interested in adopting the dogs from the military, most of them do not qualify. The program is very selective when picking the right person. Usually, people with children below the age of nine years will not qualify. The housing condition of the applicant is also used to select the best homes for the canines.

While adoption by handlers may be the best thing for the animals, it is not always possible for this to happen. Some have to become pets in new homes. Such animals are trained so that they can respond to the new environment quickly. Civilians should be encouraged to consider adopting these animals as they can make good pets just as any other dogs. It is better to have them adopted than abandon or euthanize the poor creatures.




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