Originally posted by the Voice of America.
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                   US Mandates Military Dogs be Retired in US

   by VOA News

   A gigantic defense spending bill signed Wednesday by U.S. President
   Barack Obama will allow U.S. military dogs to be returned to the United
   States upon their retirement and gives their military handlers first
   chance to adopt them.

   Previously, U.S. military dogs could be retired overseas, which made
   them civilians and thus ineligible for military transport home to the
   U.S.

   The 2016 National Defense Authorization Act changes that with
   provisions backed by the American Humane Association. The association
   says estimates show each military dog saves the lives of between
   150-200 servicemen and women by detecting IEDs and hidden weapons
   caches.

   The bill requires that military working dogs be returned to U.S. soil
   when they retire and that their former handlers be allowed to adopt
   them.

   The new law comes at a time when care of U.S. veterans is under heavy
   scrutiny, as the U.S. struggles to cope with thousands of wounded
   service members returning from the longstanding conflicts in Iraq and
   Afghanistan. The Humane Association notes that reuniting working dogs
   with their handlers can help both veterans overcome wartime trauma and
   readjust to civilian life.

   "This is a great day for military heroes on both ends of the leash. We
   believe all our veterans -- two-footed and four-footed -- should come
   back to a hero's welcome," said Humane Association president Robin
   Ganzert.
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   [1]http://www.voanews.com/content/us-mandates-military-dogs-be-retired-
   in-us/3074590.html

References

   1. http://www.voanews.com/content/us-mandates-military-dogs-be-retired-in-us/3074590.html