Victory for Military Dogs

[Kathi]

We did it! Thanks to your voice and your support, President Obama signed legislation that will better protect military dogs. Serving side by side with our service men and women, military dogs are true heroes. They spend the majority of their lives saving others and performing dangerous tasks that require great skill and training. Through it all, military dogs remain loyal and dedicated to their service partners and to their work. Previously, these dogs were considered military equipment, making adoption and transportation of recently-retired military dogs difficult. The new legislation makes the adoption process simpler and provides assistance in transporting overseas military dogs back home. It also allows for a system of veterinary medical care that will not cost taxpayers a cent. The measure, an amendment to the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2013, was introduced by Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) in the U.S. Senate and Rep. Walter Jones (R-N.C.) in the U.S. House of Representatives. Thanks to these dedicated legislators and others, the president's approval, and you, military dogs can now have the retirement they deserve.