Hero military dogs who saved thousands of lives face death row
Two heroic military dogs who saved thousands of lives on duty in Afghanistan are facing death row because they are proving difficult to rehome.
Belgian shepherds Kevin and Dazz smelled out IEDs before they were retired, putting their lives at risk to help the Army.
However, because a home cannot be found for them, they will be given a lethal injection next week.
An angry handler told The Sun: "We’ll do anything to save them."
Another said: "This is such a cruel way to treat these animals that have given us so much."
However, the outlook seems bleak for the animals, both 9 years old, because chiefs have ruled they cannot be rehomed safely.
Handlers have made an appeal to the Defence Animal Centre in Melton Mowbray, Leics, in order to save the lives of Kevin and Dazz, and a military dog called Driver.
A petition has been launched by Andy McNab, who is a former Special Air Sergeant.
He wrote: "[Military dogs] saved countless lives when I was in the Special Air Service sniffing out explosives.
"Dogs like Kevin, Dazz and Driver are an asset when they are serving but they even more of an asset when they are retired.
"We owe them every chance possible to be housed and not killed."
Former soldiers and handlers who worked with the pair have said they are distraught.
Experienced handlers have offered to take the dogs, but apparently were rebuffed.
One told the Sun: "People who worked closely with these dogs are devastated at the plans — they’ve begged to save them all.
"There’s no protocol to decide if a dog is put down. The commanding officer decides and that’s it. It’s such a cruel way to treat animals that have given so much.
"We’ll do anything to save these dogs. We’ll go to Defence Secretary Gavin Williamson if need be."
Conservative MP Alan Duncan has reached out to the Ministry of Defence for an explanation.
The Defence Animal Centre where the dogs are located is in Sir Alan's constituency, and he has been contacted by a dog handler who served in Afghanistan whose dog was also due to be euthanised in 2014 but was saved and now lives a happy life with the dog handler he served with.
Sir Alan has spoken of his worry that a proper and fair assessment has not been done for these animals.
He told The Telegraph: "These are hero dogs who have fought fearlessly alongside our soldiers. Let us now be the ones to fight for them and give them a chance to live happy lives where they can thrive. It is the least they deserve.
"Of course, it is of great importance that all military dogs must be properly assessed to ensure they do not pose a danger to civilians, but only in circumstances where such danger has been properly proven should they be put down. I have written to MOD ministers to personally ask for a reprieve and am awaiting a response."
An Army spokesman said: “Wherever possible we endeavour to rehome military working dogs. Sadly there are occasions where this is not possible.”
