SwiftVets.com

[War Dog]

I'm going to break from our normal talk here, and ask for your help. For those of you that do not know our War Dog history from Vietnam, at any one point we had over 4,000 Military Working Dogs and their handlers serving in Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia and Thailand. It is estimated that our service prevented from 10,000 and 20,000 additional casualities.

We lost over 500 War Dogs and 230 handlers in combat. When the war was beginning to wind down in 70, the Pentagon started to put our dogs into quarantine for return to the US. Only 200 dogs from Vietnam and Thailand actually made it out either to other bases in SEA and Europe or back to the 'World'. The other approximately 3800 dogs were either turned over to the ARVIN (and eaten) or euthanized.

So, about ten years ago, we started our own website, www.vdhaonline.org , Vietnam Dog Handlers Association, and began to campaign for all War Dogs and their handlers. We petitioned Congress, and the last bill that former President Bill Clinton signed into law was our law.

It basically said that,

1) All Military Working Dogs come home from all wars and foreign lands;

2) It used to be when Military Working Dogs were too old to work, they were put to sleep. Now, if their health problems are not too severe and life threatening, they are put on an adoption list, and if you are a current or former handler, you may adopt them, and let them be a dog for the rest of their lives with plenty of love and affection; and

3) It used to be when Military Working Dogs did not make it through training, they were put down (to sleep). Now if they have not been through agression training, they are put on a general adoption list where anyone may adopt them. Or if they have been through agression training, and only failed one or two parts of training, but passed others, they are given or sold to federal/civil agencies as drug, explosive, agriculture detection dogs.

About five years ago, we went to Arlington Military Cemetary and asked to build a monument. We were told, "NO, if you want to build a tree, you can, but a monument? If you want to build a monument, go to a pet cemetary!" Needless to say, this pissed us off, and like you my fellow veterans, we do not give up without a fight.

Please go to our web site, www.wardogsmemorial.org , and check it out. If you feel moved and supportive, please click on the link to either sign the guest book, donate, or send a letter to your elected Congress Critter(s).

If you click on the committee link, I am the last one on that page. Help us build a monument in Washington, D.C. dedicated to all Military Working Dogs (War Dogs) and their handlers in war and in peacetime!

Thanks!

Woof!
_________________
"When people are in trouble, they call the cops.

When cops need help, they call the K-9 unit."

[Navymomx2]

War Dog,

Great site, I am going to pass along the information to a bunch of Navymoms. I know of one mother who's daughter is in the Navy and she is a K-9 handler. I will make sure they know about your cause if they don't already know. Keep up the great work!!

[War Dog]

Thanks, if there is anything I can do for her, let me know!

Woof!
_________________
"When people are in trouble, they call the cops.

When cops need help, they call the K-9 unit."

[War Dog]

A couple of people have attempted to hijack this thread with partisan, hate-filled comments that have nothing to do with the National War Dog Team Memorial. There are other threads to post your partisan hate-filled comments in. Stick to the subject in this one!

Thank You!
_________________
"When people are in trouble, they call the cops.

When cops need help, they call the K-9 unit."