"These dogs have saved countless lives and prevented innumerable horrific injuries. As a nation, we owe them a tremendous debt of gratitude." -Warrior Dog Foundation Founder and Former US Navy SEAL, Mike Ritland
"There's an assumption that these working dogs are automatically being taken care of after they leave service," says Mission K9 President Kristen Maurer, "but that's not the case. A lot of them are stuck in kennels, not just in the U.S., but overseas. We really need to get them back. We want to honor these dogs that have given their lives for us. We want to make sure they come back and get the retirement they deserve."
Our retired K9s are indeed veterans, not unlike our country's service men and women. However, there is no safety net for them when they complete their service. There is no Veteran's Administration or 401K retirement plans for these amazing dogs. These heroic canines are often considered the best of the best, but they have very few options after service and many are injured physically and/or mentally, which means they are not easy to care for. Therefore, the common solution is to euthanize, or "put down," these four-legged warriors that selflessly do the work we trained them to do, no matter the outcome.
