Every November we celebrate and honor our U.S. military veterans for their dedication and commitment to their country, but did you know that some of those men and women also work alongside brave troops of a four-legged variety? The U.S. military first began using dogs for service in 1942 during World War II, and the Army’s K-9 Corps program was officially recognized on March 13 of that same year.
Since then, the military continues to deploy dogs — owned and trained by the U.S. government (military working dogs or MWDs) or private groups (contract working dogs or CWDs) — to do everything from explosives and narcotic detection to patrol duties both overseas and stateside.
It’s because of the selfless acts of these animals that we celebrate National K9 Veterans Day on March 13 — to honor all former working dogs who have served in countless ways, many saving countless lives along the way. (You may also be familiar with service dogs who contribute to civilians and current and former military members in various capacities. For example, the dogs trained through the Stand With Me nonprofit go on to act as service animals for veterans with service-related mental health disabilities.)
This sacrifice is something Kristen Maurer, president and co-founder of Mission K9, couldn’t ignore. With a background in animal rescue, Maurer initially became acquainted with working dogs through an organization that helped her train her own adopted dog, Roxy, in narcotics detection. (Roxy later transitioned into Maurer’s…
Giving K9 Veterans a New Leash on Life. Retrieved March 13, 2021 from https://embarkvet.com/resources/blog/giving-k9-veterans-a-new-leash-on-life/
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