Army kills dozens of war hero dogs because they’re ‘old and worn out’
SCORES of war veteran dogs have been put down by the British Army because they are ‘old and worn out’, The Mail on Sunday can reveal.
Top brass have ordered 45 dogs to be destroyed since 2013, even though they were not suffering any serious medical conditions.
In official documents obtained under a Freedom of Information (FoI) request, the dogs are described as ‘old and worn out (unsuitable for rehome)’ and ‘no longer able to carry out their duties to the requisite standard’.
Last night, animal rights campaigners insisted the animals should be looked after following their service in Afghanistan and Iraq, where they accompanied troops into battle.
Elisa Allen, the UK director of People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, said: ‘Dogs in military service are conscripted to risk their lives, they’re not volunteers.
‘They should have their own Chelsea Pensioners home and, where possible, receive end of service care. For canine recruits who fail to reach a certain standard, a thank you is in order – not a lethal injection.’
Dogs are used by the Army to sniff out explosives and to guard bases. A total of 231 were put down by the MoD from 2013 to 2016, some less than eight years old. Most had serious illnesses or physical injuries. The campaigns in Afghanistan and Iraq led to a sharp rise in the numbers of dogs being recruited. This meant more were put down – 807 between 2002 and 2012.
Most sniffer dogs live with their handlers at the end of service. But it is harder to rehome guard dogs because of their aggression.
These animals are destroyed if they do not respond to retraining.
According to the FoI request, 46 animals were put down for temperament issues, such as ‘dangerous unprovoked behaviour’. In 2013 it emerged that two of Prince William’s guard dogs were destroyed after he quit the RAF.
Last night an MoD spokesman said: ‘Military working dogs play an important role in our Armed Forces and, while most are rehomed at the end of their service life, in a minority of cases a vet may sadly take the decision to euthanase if the animal is deemed a risk to the public and has no further chance of treatment.’