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By Sgt. Mikey Niman
Combat Correspondent

Despite being more than 56 years old, (eight in human years,) Belgian Malinois Robby,
Quantico's most veteran professional military working dog, is still on the job.

He has been training almost since his birth in central Europe. Since his basic training at Lackland Air Force Base six years ago he has been at Quantico.

Robby has seen partners come and go. His newest rookie partner, LCpl. Shawn Manthey has been handling him for the last six months.

"He's a great dog," said Manthey. "He is getting up there in age, but he still enjoys working."

Like the other five dogs at the base kennel, Robby trains for at least two hours a day.

"We are lucky here at Quantico," said Sgt. Michael Headrick, base kennel master. "All of our Marines enjoy training, and that is great for the dogs."

The handlers give the working dogs training which is much more in-depth than the basic certification they receive at Lackland AFB, Texas and the initial base certification they train for when they arrive here between the ages of one and three.

The base has four dogs specialized in sniffing out explosives and two who can detect drugs.

"Our dogs are used by many government agencies because of their reputations.  One of our handlers and his dog are working with the Customs Agency right now, and we are constantly tasked by the Secret Service, Department of State and the Drug Enforcement Agency," said Headrick, whose German Shepherd, Blek, took first place in explosive detection at the United States Police & Canine Association Championships recently.

The section also took home three of the five trophies the Marine Corps won at the Department of Defense Championships last year.

The section believes they are the best K-9 unit in the Marine Corps and possibly the best in the Department of Defense.

"It's a lot of hard work, but the dogs make it worth while," said Sgt. Donald Garland, military working dog handler. "If someone thinks our job is just going to work and walking a dog for eight hours they have another think coming. It's not easy, but it's the best job in the Marine Corps."

The dogs and their handlers will soon have a new higher security kennel with space for 12 dogs. The handlers believe it is a fitting home for their "top dawgs."

POLITICAL RESPONSE

CAMPAIGN EFFORTS

ROBBY'S PETITION

FROM "THE DAYTON DAILY NEWS" (CIVILIAN NEWSPAPER) CRITTER CORNER: Robby might be sent to Lackland to help break
in new dog handlers By Laurie Denger
Sunday, August 20, 2000

A  MONTH AGO, I WROTE about Robby the Marine dog with an uncertain fate.

Today, the military says Robby is being treated for arthritis and will  likely be sent to Lackland Air Force  Base in Texas,  where aging  military dogs train new  handlers. They maintain Robby, who actually, and sadly is only 8 not 11 as I was told earlier, is not in danger of being euthanized.

I truly, truly hope and pray that Robby is safe.

But  there is some disturbing information on the military's record on dogs since World War II.  While the military maintains it only ends a dog's life to ease pain or suffering or when a dog becomes ill, one has to wonder whether the same type of illnesses civilian dogs  live long  lives with--while undergoing medical  care--might end a military dog's life.

For  example, lots of  pets undergo treatment for arthritis and successfully live for many years afterward. I spent the last few years of my 14-year-old dog's life taking her to eye specialists for her cataracts.

The  main  purpose of  writing about Robby was to  encourage  the military to allow his handler or another qualified person to adopt him--much as  dogs from  World  War II  were adopted  after  their duties ended.  Police departments  allow their officers to  adopt their dogs when they no longer are used  on patrol. Training  of both  military and  police  dogs  is  similar, if  not  the  same, according to dog handlers.

But, the military repeats its stand that military dogs  trained for aggression are not adoptable because  of  the  potential  for liability.  Still, liability is a real concern for any pet owner when an animal does  something wrong.  Some law  firms even  seek dog bite cases.

Mary  Thurston,  an  author, anthropologist  and a member of a nonprofit group made up of  veteran war dog handlers, is  very concerned that the government has euthanized its dogs  for 50 years, even though they might have been adoptable by civilian terms. That hasn't always been the case.

In World  War II, Thurston  said, military  dogs were considered soldiers, some even getting promotions that outranked  their handlers.

The  book  "War  Dog  Heroes"  by Jeannette  Sanderson  records  that several  thousand K-9s  used during World  War II were returned  to civilian  life after extensive retraining, which  included exposing the dogs to different people  in civilian clothing and taunting them with sticks and verbal abuse.  The dogs were trained not  to attack.

Sanderson  writes  that the dogs who responded with friendliness were given a final physical exam and shipped home at government expense  with  certificates of  faithful  service, an  honorable discharge and a kit containing the dog's collar, leash and a copy of the War Department's manual, "War Dogs".

Thurston said 85 percent of those dogs were retrained and adopted.

Later, a euthanization  policy was written into the 1949 Federal Property and Administrative Services Act of 1949 after World  War  II.  This reclassified military  working dogs as equipment.  Thurston said that allowed the government to abandon or euthanize 2,000 dogs at the end of  the Vietnam War, rather than shipping them home.

A 1997 amendment to the Federal Property and Administrative Services Act of 1949 was designed to allow federal dog handlers, such as those in the Drug Enforcement Administration to adopt their aging K-9 partners.  But Thurston said many military dog handlers have never heard of the amendment.

Thurston and other veterans, dog  handlers  and dog rescue organizations are working to get  the military to recognize the amendment  applies to military dogs, even dogs trained for aggression.

Thurston said even sentry dogs, who are trained to apprehend and restrain someone, release that person  on command. "These are not stupid dogs; these are not mentally disturbed dogs," she said.

She  relates the anecdote of "Chips", a highly decorated World War II dog, who stormed enemy bunkers, captured soldiers and even tried to bite a visiting Gen. Eisenhower.  He was considered a cranky sentry dog and the most ferocious of the bunch.

After the war ended, he was retrained, retired and took his Purple Heart, Silver Star and numerous other commendations and lived out his life as a family pet.

"If  the military  can't use  them, what's the difference between euthanizing them or putting them into responsible homes?" Thurston asks.

She and other dog handlers propose that the military limit a dog's service, possibly to seven years, and then develop a retirement protocol that allows  these dogs to be retrained and placed into carefully  screened homes to live out  their days.  She said dog rescue groups would love to  help, even if a dog's  former handler doesn't want the animal.

Thurston  said that, "while the dogs' physical needs might  be cared for  well by the military, an aging  military dog doesn't need  to spend  its last days on concrete dog runs when  it could be very adoptable in a family home."

Frankly, if I had my choice between living next door to a retired military dog, such as Robby, or a dog chained in a back  yard and simply left there with no training, interaction with humans or any kind of attention--as far too many are--I would choose Robby.

In the end, if all the attention given to Robby by lots of caring people who took the time to send e-mails or make phone calls to inquire about Robby's fate makes the military carefully consider what happens next to this dog, it is time well spent.  And maybe someday, if Mary Thurston and others get their way, we won't have to worry about animals being used up and tossed away.

© 2000 Cox Interactive Med

IF WE ALL PULL TOGETHER WE
CAN SAVE ROBBY!

CONGRESSIONAL ACT DESIGNATING DISPOSITION OF
MILITARY LAW ENFORCEMENT CANINES
(Researched by Thomas Johnston)
Federal Property and Administrative Services Act of 1949
(P.L. 81-152) (40 USC 759(d))
· (B) The Defense Base Closure and Realignment Act of 1990
(part A of title XXIX of Public Law 101-510; 10 U.S.C. 2687 note).
· (C) Section 2687 of title 10, United States Code.
· (r) Donation of surplus law enforcement canines to their handlers
The head of a Federal agency having control of a canine that has been used by a Federal agency in the performance of law enforcement duties and that has been determined by the agency to be no longer needed for official purposes may donate the canine to an individual who has experience handling canines in the performance of those duties.

Department of Defense
Official  Statement
In Response to the “Save Robby Campaign”

         "When military working dogs are no longer deployable, Department of  Defense units make arrangements to have them replaced. They are usually sent  back to Lackland Air Force Base, Texas, and the 341st Training Squadron places them in training/dog instructor status, assigning the dogs to student handlers as they complete courses at Lackland.  The squadron at Lackland provides dog and handler training for all military services.

As long as the dogs are physically capable, they spend the remainder of their lives "teaching" new handlers.  If they contract an ailment, which causes them to suffer, and medication provides no relief, then and only then are they euthanized.  Otherwise they live out their careers until they die from natural causes.

 If a dog has had any training in handler protection (controlled aggression), the Department of Defense cannot release them to the general public because the government could be held liable in the event the dog injures someone."

http://www.senate.gov/senators/index.cfm
DO NOT DELAY!!
CONTACT YOUR U.S. SENATORS TODAY!!

Senator Bob Smith
307 Dirkson Senate Office Building
Washington, DC 20510

Monday, October 16, 2000

Dear Senator Smith;

I had the distinct pleasure this morning of speaking with Ms. Sue Corrigan. A very ersonable lady and a real asset to your office.

I wanted to thank you personally for your interest and support of the Military Working Dogs. These dogs are a very real asset to our armed forces and their handlers. For the military to practice a policy of "Work or Die" is, to me, a disgrace to both the handlers and their dogs.

Representative Bartlett’s bill (H.R. 5314) is, to me and many others, a very important legislative effort to stop the killing. There is absolutely no need to kill when these dogs can be detrained (a proven fact) and sent into retirement with their handlers or someone else who is suitably trained and is knowledgeable of the requirements to care for dogs such as these.

I am attaching the signatures that my associates and I have received from the "Save Robby" online petition which we put up approximately 1 month ago. As you can see, in less than a full month, there are more than 500 signatures from all over the world.

At the present time; "Robby", a Belgian Malinois Shepherd is the dog that is in the "spotlight" as his health is quickly deteriorating. It was Robby’s plight that came to our attention.  Presently Robby is stationed at Marine Corps Base, Quantico, VA, but soon to be either returned to Lackland Air Force Base or destroyed.  I’m afraid that the DOD is denying treatment to him in the hopes that they can get this situation back into the military’s tent. Thereby allowing them to do as they please.

Robby has his own web pages at:

http://www6.50megs.com./worldanimals/robby.html

I feel that you should know that all canines in the service of the United States except the Military Working Dogs are eligible for and indeed are retired under the 1997 amendment
to the Base Closure Act of 1949.

I know that you are busy, Sir, please know that you have the respect, admiration and support of all of us who care.

Thank you.

Sincerely,

Thomas H. Johnston, Chairman,
Save Robby Campaign

http://www.senate.gov/senators/index.cfm
DO NOT DELAY!!
CONTACT YOUR U.S. SENATORS TODAY!!
October 17, 2000

Folks,
There was a rumour flying the cyberworld earlier this week that Robby had been euthanized by rhe Air Force.  We wanted to try to confirm or deny that rumour before passing it on.  Retired Marine Capt. and K9 trainer Dr. Bill Putney, who has been instrumental in the war dog
retirement campaign because of his unique, first hand experience in WWII, did some investigating.  Apparently the dog is alive and safe--but for how long???  Is the military hoping we will lose interest, look away, and they can then resume the killing?  Already the Dept. of
Defense is cranking up its "damage control" machine, telling the media that the euthanization policy is a hoax AND, in the same breath, explaining that there is no option but to work the dogs till they drop.  This is what the military is calling Retirement.

Well, if they are so proud of their "retirement" policy, then why are they opposed to passage of the bill in senate.

I know alot of you already have written to your prospective senators, and I hate to ask more of you.  But Robby needs all the help he can get, and as quickly as possible before DoD has a chance to work their "magic" on capitol hill and kill the bill.  I would encourage anybody with the time, to copy and email their letters of support for war dog retirement to any and ALL senators.

You will find the online link to the Senate Directory at the scoutdogpages.com  under the "war dogs retirement" section.

There are so many folks out there I would wish to thank for the continuing vigilance and support of this campaign.  We've won one battle in the Congress, now its time to mount the second assault.

Regards,
Mary Thurston

From:  Wputney2@aol.com
To:  sue_corrigan@epw.senate.gov
Subject:  Bill concerning Military Woking Dogs
Date:  Mon, 16 Oct 2000 14:30:10 EDT

Dear Ms. Corrigan:

My name is William W. Putney, DVM. I was C.O. of the War Dog Training School
at Camp Lejeune, NC when we detrained and returned to civilian life our dogs
that we used in WWII on places like Guadalcanal, Bougainville, Kuajalien,
Enewetok. Guam, Pelelieu, Saipan, Okinawa and Japan.

Of the 550 Marine war dogs that we had on duty at the end of the war, only
four were destroyed due to the inability to detrain sufficiently to be
returned safely to civilian life. Never to my knowledge was there a recorded
an instance where any one of those dogs ever attacked or bit anyone. It is
not true that once a dog has had attack training, it can never be released
safely into the civilian population.

I strongly support Senator Smith in his efforts to change present DoD policy
that once a dog has received attack training, it will always be destroyed
when he can no longer perform his military duties.

To use animals for our own use and then destroy them arbitrarily when they
can no longer be of use to us is the worst kind of animal abuse.

William W. Putney, DVM
Captain, USMC, WWII

From:     Wputney2@aol.com
Date:     Tue, 17 Oct 2000 14:44:22 EDT

I talked to Captain Culp, US Army, VC this morning about Robby in an effort
to find out just what is the status and physical condition of Robby, the
military dog now on duty at Quantico Marine Base.

Captain Culp said that Robby is presently being treated with usual medication
to treat arthritis and pain. He is not in pain that cannot be relieved by these medications. However, he does not belive that because of this and his age, he is certified as not being able to completely perform his duties and is scheduled to be sent to Lackland in the near future. He expects that Robby will be assigned to the duty of assisting in the training of young dogs and dog handlers in training.

This I believe is an accurate statement of the condition at this time.

William W. Putney, DVM
Captain, USMC, WWII

For Robby

You say he is just another dog

Who served his master well

And on his  fate of euthanasia

We really should not dwell

Where once a life was his to save

It is now our turn to try

To give him back some happiness

But you will not let us---Why?

You say he is U. S. property

And when his  job is through

He must die, he cannot go home

There is nothing you can do

Dog is God spelled backward

And just like his son

He must now forgive you

For you know not what you have done.

                            By:  Janis Dibert

JOIN THE
"HELP SAVE ROBBY"
CAMPAIGN!

Please help yourself to the above banner and display it on your own web site in support of the effort to "SAVE ROBBY".  A link back to this page is included with the banner when you copy it, but should it not function properly once installed on your site, we are providing it below and we thank  you for standing in support of our effort to "SAVE ROBBY".
http://www6.50megs.com/worldanimals/robby.html

http://www.senate.gov/senators/index.cfm
DO NOT DELAY!!
CONTACT YOUR U.S. SENATORS TODAY!!

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