WE’LL SAVE ARMY DOGS

Sign petition to stop the killings

DOG lovers have begun a campaign to save hundreds of Army dogs sentenced to death.

We revealed last week how the military has killed 1,000 service dogs they regard as too old or too fierce.

As a result, a petition has been started to stop dogs that have worked alongside troops on the frontline being put down.

And we want you to help us support the effort to save dogs’ lives by signing it and sharing it online.

Julie Hill, host of DogCast Radio since 2005, began the petition after reading our story, inset.

The 49-year-old had Labrador Buddy, a former education dog with the Blue Cross animal charity, for more than 15 years

She said: “Working dogs enable us to live our lives safely, and without them society couldn’t function as easily. We owe it to them to give them a good retirement, not dispose of them.”

Julie, of Shropshire, added: “If

Buddy had been deemed ‘old and worn out’ at eight he’d have had half his life stolen from him.”

A military document seen by this newspaper states:

“Old and worn out dogs are animals who have reached a certain age (over eight-years-old) and are no longer able to carry out their duties to the requisite standard.

“Many reasons exist but they are accepted to be ‘of age’ and to continue to use them would be detrimental to the animal, the service or perhaps both.” The document also says there are “animals who are not old (under eight) and are no longer able to carry out duties to the requisite standard”. Debbie Connolly, who runs the only rescue centre in the UK rehabilitating retired working dogs, slammed the Ministry of Defence for its treatment of dogs. She claims that the problem of not rehoming dogs stems from the Forces being closed institutions. Debbie argued: “Historically the MoD has not been cooperative in working with other people. They can’t all be rehabilitated, but the point is they don’t even try.”