Adopting Retired War Dogs
 

Does the British Army/Royal Marines have a program for adopting retired War Dogs? This program open to the public?

This site has some info.

https://heropawsuk.co.uk/

Thanks for the link. I'm well out of the loop regards the situation now having served in the 1980s, RAF Police. Back then dogs were usually worked until unfit for work or until not up to the job, then a trip to the vet... I would be interested in the situation today. Probably the case dogs that fail training may be available if not wanted back by their previous owners. I assume there would be concerns over Military Working Dogs used in some roles being discharged to the public on safety grounds. Regards, Paul.
More links.
http://www.pawsandwalks.co.uk/dac.html
https://www.parliament.uk/business/p...-03-01/130671/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5POTVCV7ApY - that's dated December 2017 and gives contact details as-

Procurement Section,

Defence Animal Centre,

Asfordby Road, Melton Mowbray,

Leicestershire, LE13 0HX.

Tel: 01664 418668

Defence Animal Centre looks to now be known as the Defence Animal Training Regiment (2018?)- finding it had to find definite contact info re animal rehoming under that name.

I've been informed enquiries can be made via this number- 01664 418600, I think that's the main number for the Defence Animal Centre/Defence Animal Training Regiment, so if the number in the previous post does not work, this should get you to the unit exchange and they can direct your enquiry. I'm told there is a long waiting list for specialist dogs. May be less for what in my time were know as attack dogs but now look to be called protection dogs. Regards, Paul.

Hi Paul, The Dogs that guarded our ammo dump in Germany were f...ing psycho, if you managed to get in there you wouldn't be getting out again. all fur and teeth they were..... not cute and cuddly you couldn't rehome them ever! regards John

USAAF Police asked my father if he wanted an ex police dog when we were posted to Naples, terrible number of burglaries, they were getting rid of the animals and couldn't take them stateside. Great thought dad a fully trained police dog. WRONG!!!! These dogs ran wild between two fences protecting a stores depot. If an Italian climbed the first fence.....he never made it to the second fence.....the pack just got him. For two years we had difficulty getting into our own home ....but he eventually did make a family dog, he was fine with everyone until the moment you put him behind a fence......

When dogs are donated for service they can come with 'baggage' which is often reason for donation. In my day of RAFP training its own dogs as well as customs dogs and USAF dogs it was one handler one dog, and a lot of effort was put in with pride in training the dog (Pride to be better than the Army!) I'm sure the same effort is put in today with joint service training. Regards, Paul.
I would be interested to hear any further info of military use of dogs loose between fences- not some thing I encountered- unit involved- time period? I take it USAAF would have been 1940's?
John, was this British use of dogs in a bomb dump with out a handler?

Hi Paul, The Dogs were not British as far as I know, and the handlers were German or Slav speaking? (couldn't tell which) regards John

Dogs are adaptable animals. My first dog did its basic training with me and I had seven over my service. Every dog had been donated as adult animals which had had previous owners. As long as each new military handler knows what they are doing things should go ok. If an animal should be available to the public, i'm confident as regards the UK, that assessments would be done of both the animal and potential new owner. Regards, Paul.
PS-Just looked back at my post 7 in case of confusion- while I handled Attack dogs a dog had only one handler at a time- but that pairing could be split for animal health or age reasons- or postings- for example a dog posted to Germany would not come back with the handler- it would do all its service there, while the handler would be posted on after 3 years.
As stated I'm well out of the loop now but would be very surprised if safety standards have gone down. 'If' a dog should be available- safety would be the main thing in mind.