http://www.lifewithdogs.tv/2012/04/british-government-euthanizes-800-war-dogs/

so sad that no one could help these dogs they deserve so much more :-(

I suppose a dog doesn't know it's going to die, it's simply getting an injection. That for me seems kinder than a very long plane journey, taken away from your handler, in a strange environment, retraining and the stress of a new family then perhaps being put to sleep anyway. Never mind the risk to humans and the risk of people suing the MOD should one of these dogs bite someone. It is sad but it may be the best option for everyone.

I have to agree with Chaumsong.

I have read the article and some of the angry comments underneath, I dare not put my point of view because on there because I will just come under attack and I can't be bothered with that. But say the government decides to bring them back and retrain them and place them in pet homes and then one bites a child or kills a cat?? That will then be a whole new headline... 'Government re-homes deadly attack dogs to the general public'

Then all those people that campaigned about it in the first place will be kicking themselves. I am not saying that they will all be unsuitable to be re-homed but even with expensive re-training something small can trigger a reaction in a dog that has been through/ seen a lot.

While I accept that some of the dogs probably couldn't be safely re-homed, it seems to me it's humans, yet again, using animals and then discarding them when they are of no further use, or they become too expensive.
Service men and woman are being laid off right left and centre, it's no surprise really that the dogs are being pts as the most economical option.

>it seems to me it's humans, yet again, using animals and then discarding them when they are of no further use, or they become too expensive.

If you think of it not as 'being discarded' (to me that would mean being dumped on rescue kennels with not a backward glance, and no guarantees to their future welfare) but rather the most practical and humane solution being taken to ensure no physical or mental suffering for the animals, it's a lot easier to understand.

Trying to put emotion to one side it still does not sit comfortably with me.I accept that the dogs are there to do a job of work and could be seen as casualties of war.However I do feel that they deserve better.

But say the government decides to bring them back and retrain them and place them in pet homes and then one bites a child or kills a cat?? That will then be a whole new headline...

I really fail to see the point they're making about danger. What danger? Why should they bite anyone, being highly trained dogs? It
is like saying normal police dogs are a danger to the public when in fact it is the opposite; they must be safe even around children. And surely there are children to be safe around in Afghanistan and Iraq as well! And re-training -what for? The dogs aren't trained to attack people on sight for no reason! And what about all the Spaniels and Labradors etc, that were only trained as sniffer dogs? Not all army dogs are Malis and GSDs. The one thing I'd say would be they could all be extremely BORED without a job to do, but a danger? Can't see it.

These aren't normal police dogs Marianne, I remember the dogs the army had in libya when I was a very young child, they were trained to attack anyone with a darker skin :-( These aren't police dogs but more like guard dogs.

The article says that sniffer dogs are usually retired with their handlers, it's the attack dogs/guard dogs that aren't rehomed.

Sorry Jane I think you're wrong -I have several puppy buyers who came to me after being posted in Afghanistan (NOT as dog handlers) and falling in love with the breed there, and it was certainly nothing of the sort you mention.....

There is definitely a number of 'attack' dogs in the Forces which would not be suitable to live in a domestic situation, and would be a ticking timebomb. It would be hazardous in the extreme to rehome these, and no doubt these are the ones which are humanely put to sleep.

It doesn't sit comfortably with me either. There was a programme on within the last two weeks where dogs were taken from pet owners in America and trained for jungle combat and were placed with handlers. Some died in action but some came home and went back to their original owners. I am not saying that ALL dogs could come home but I am sure there are many.

But say the government decides to bring them back and retrain them and place them in pet homes and then one bites a child or kills a cat?? That will then be a whole new headline...

Sorry Goldmali I realise that didn't sound as I meant it too. I didn't mean that one may bite a child or kill a cat because of its training but because its a dog. Any well bred pet from impeccable breeding could still bite a child or kill a cat but that wouldn't get the media going, but if one that was trained as a guard/attack dog was then re-homed to JP, the media would have a field day and it would only take one.

I don't really know how they are trained or how they are used so maybe my opinion is invalid, I do however find the situation very sad :(

I dont know the ins and outs of this and I dont want to ,too upsetting,but I know several dogs who are trained to "attack"in working trials,in the PD stake,the ones Ive met are pussycats,normal,waggy dogs,certainly no danger,unless its from being licked to death!The training is great fun for the dogs,doesnt mean because they will attack when told,that they will do it off their own bat.Hopefully the training these poor dogs have will be along the same lines?So,no threat?just a thought.

Men choose to be soldiers-- dogs don't. They do their best for those they love and trust-- it is disgusting to take advantage of this by exposing them to the dangers of war, and even more disgusting to kill them when they have served their purpose.

>I know several dogs who are trained to "attack"in working trials,in the PD stake,

No, it's a very different scenario. The Forces defence/attack dogs are trained to be much more serious about what they're doing; they're not necessarily trained to go for the arm, for instance; they are themselves a weapon.

It is no more disgusting than using animals for any of the many other reasons that we do.  I think the only ethical issue is whether they are treated well.  I would imagine these dogs live good, active lives and are fed and housed well and there are worse things that euthanasia.

Quite apart from the difficulties of finding suitable homes when there are so many surplus dogs as it is, I cannot see that the MOD would be justified in spending money assessing them, shipping them and vetting either individuals or charities to take them when that money can be spent in supplying and safeguarding troops.

I do think you have all fallen for a lot of rumours about the temperament of these dogs -almost like Rottweilers being dubbed "Devil Dogs back" in the 80s. For a start there is no such thing as an "attack dog" or "guard dog" -these are not official terms. We do seem to see a lot of this on CD -misconceptions. A few years ago there was one member who wanted to work with security dogs and referred to them as attack dogs, a few months ago something similar was said about security dogs when in fact those dogs are basically just for show and not action -the list goes on. The MOD is very secretive about their dogs and their training etc, but how many of you have actually visited military dog training bases, met the dogs and the trainers and the handlers etc, to form these ideas?

I did many years ago. Things might have changed since then, but maybe not.

> I did many years ago. Things might have changed since then, but maybe not.

The MOD have taken some of Goldmali's pups... do you really think she would have willingly let them be part of those statistics?

While it's true that working line Malinois are being overbred in the UK - and as a result, suitable homes can't be found for them - that doesn't necessarily apply to older dogs which have had training.

I have lying at my feet right now, probably the oldest Malinois ever to come into mainstream rescue in the UK. She found herself in the Cheshire Branch of Manchester Dogs Home early in 2011 - a shelter that doesn't homecheck - and there is reason to believe she was rescued from a kill shelter in Ireland after being an unclaimed stray.

We know nothing about her past but she is a lovely girl - very biddable, well trained and age indeterminate. She's aged since we've had her, so I am now thinking she is at least 11 if not more. BUT we know nothing about her past and given the history of that breed in the UK and Ireland plus her age, she is almost certain to have been ex-services/forces or something along those lines. 10 years ago there were very few Malinois anywhere in the UK and Ireland, and most were in the services... very few people were owning/breeding them for Schutzhund/WT or PP.

BUT I have reason to believe she has been trained in the past to do bitework with a sleeve - maybe more. Those instincts do not come out in her in everyday life, but I am more than sure it has been part of her past.

Welcome to contact me privately if you want to know more.... particularly anyone who has direct experience of training dogs in that sphere.

> how many of you have actually visited military dog training bases, met the dogs and the trainers and the handlers etc, to form these ideas?

My comments were based on seeing the dogs in action in a foreign country (Libya).

>The MOD have taken some of Goldmali's pups... do you really think she would have willingly let them be part of those statistics?

I'm sure it will have been discussed.

>The Ministry of Defense said twenty canines were euthanized in 2002: that figure rose to 89 in 2003 when the Second Gulf War began. 95 dogs were killed in 2006, but the worst year for British war dogs was 2009, when 125 of them were put down.

I don't know how many dogs the MOD own in any year but that does not sound such a huge number actually euthanased to me and perhaps suggests that there is some assessments done and they are not just put down willy nilly, only the dogs that this is appropriate for.

Have to say that this was my initial feeling upon reading the statistics.  This must represent a small percentage of the total number of dogs in the forces.

My feelings on this probably would be different if there was not such a glut of dogs already needing homed and as has been said previously there are far worse things than being humanely euthanised.

Just my opinion though

thanks jeangenie,I just assumed(hoped)similar kind methods would be used.