Dogs in war receive loyalty, top care

[Olney Blue]

http://tinyurl.com/ywzynr



Dogs in war receive loyalty, top care (Army Times)

By Jeff Donn - The Associated Press
Posted : Sunday Aug 12, 2007 14:36:06 EDT

SAN ANTONIO — When he came to, the Marine’s arm hung lamely. It was broken by ball bearings hurled so hard from a suicide bomb that they also became embedded in his gun. Yet Brendan Poelaert’s thoughts quickly turned to his patrol dog.The powerful Belgian Malinois named Flapoor had served him as partner and protector for the past four months in Iraq. Now, the dog staggered a few steps along the Ramadi street, then stared blankly. Blood poured from his chest.
“I didn’t care about my injuries, my arm,” his handler says. “I’m telling the medic, ‘I got to get my dog to the vet!”‘

About 2,000 of these working dogs confront danger beside American soldiers, largely in the Middle East. With noses that detect scents up to a third of a mile away, many sniff for explosives in Iraq. Their numbers have been growing about 20 percent a year since the terrorist attacks of 2001, says Air Force Capt. Jeffrey McKamey, who helps run the program.

In doing their jobs, dozens of these dogs have also become war wounded — scorched by the desert, slashed by broken glass, pelted by stray bullets, pounded by roadside bombs.

Their services are so valued, though, that wounded dogs are treated much like wounded troops. “They are cared for as well as any soldier,” insists Senior Airman Ronald A. Harden, a dog handler in Iraq.

more at link

A sad comment in the article: Dogs can suffer a type of PTSD from their service in war. :(

[Mythsaje]

1. Not just in times of war...

The 9/11 rescue dogs also suffered from depression. They actually started having to set up "fake" rescues of living persons to elevate the moods of all the dogs that were finding bodies in the rubble.

It affected the dogs as deeply as the people. And some folks don't think they're capable of that sort of emotion.

Stupid.

[Olney Blue]

5. Those folks who think dogs aren't emotional....

never lived with a dog!

[Sonicmedusa]

2. I saw on an animal planet a show about service dogs in 'Nam.

They were left behind. So yeah, they are valued as long as they are useful.

[bicentennial_baby]

3. 2 bomb sniffing dogs from Iraq were just honored in MA...

One is going to live with his handler, locally. The other is being put down b/c he has an inoperable brain tumor. They were given a lovely ceremony of honor here in MA, Friday. :shrug:

[Captain Hilts]

12. Remember the story of the dog running to greet his handler at Walter Reed/Bethesda Naval?

GREAT story. They're being discharged together.

[Captain Hilts]

11. Soldiers could bring back ANY animal if it passed the vet's exam. nt

[Mayberry Machiavelli]

4. The link to the article is not working. :(

[Wilms]

7. Add a forward slash, /, to the end of the url and you'll get it.

Or use this...

http://tinyurl.com/ywzynr

[Olney Blue]

8. Thanks, Wilms!

I copied the link right off the webpage- what causes that?

[Wilms]

13. I think it's a DU software thing.

http://tinyurl.com is great for situations like that.

[Captain Hilts]

6. The 1946 movie "The Courage of Lassie," is about Lassie serving and getting PTSD.

No kidding.

Check it out on IMDB.

[Olney Blue]

9. Interesting- thanks for the information.

[Captain Hilts]

10. Lassie serves in the Aleutians and gets battle rattle and escapes from a troop train.

It's actually a fascinating movie for the topic. It's worth giving a peek to.

[burrowowl]

14. Like hell!

Many times war dogs are left in where they served. In Vietnam many were abandoned and I don't think the policy has changed for Iraq or Afghanistan.