| Ronny's new owner, Marine
Sgt. Kevin Bispham, is no stranger to the care and handling of a highly
trained working dog. He's kennel master at Marine Corps Recruit Depot Parris
Island, S.C., and was Ronny's handler for more than three years.
"I love my dog and I'm really
excited to get him," Bispham said. "Ronny's done his time and I want to
make a good home for him. I'm making everything nice for him. He's not
going to work any more."
Bispham said he would take
ownership of Ronny in April after he moves from an apartment into a base
housing unit with a fenced back yard. The sergeant has already ordered
a 20-by-20 kennel for Ronny and must pay all the costs to have Ronny transported
to South Carolina.
Until the passage of the
adoption law, working dogs that couldn't do their jobs in the field due
to age or other factors were returned to Lackland. They were evaluated
for possible use as training dogs for new handlers, according to Bob Dameworth,
DoD's counterdrug/K-9 program manager.
Former handlers and others
sometimes asked to adopt older animals, but DoD policy was that only law
enforcement agencies could.
Dameworth said the first
concern is for the safety of the people who'd be living around the dog.
Military working dogs receive extensive aggression training throughout
their working lives, he said.
"Second," he added, "we want
to be sure that the dogs -- who have served faithfully all their lives
to protect our soldiers, sailors, airmen and Marines -- have the care and
medical treatment they deserve in their older years."
The law, signed by President
Clinton last November, addresses those concerns on several fronts, said
Maj. John Probst, commander of Lackland's 341st Training Squadron. His
unit trains all military working dogs and their handlers.
The new law specifically
allows adoptions by law enforcement agencies, former dog handlers and other
qualified people, Probst said. While more people can adopt, the law still
limits adoptions to those who understand the responsibilities of owning
such unusual dogs, he added.
When a dog is no longer able
to perform patrol duties, the first step is to determine whether it is
needed at Lackland to train new handlers, Probst explained. If no, the
law leaves the possibility of adoption up to the security forces/military
police commander on the installation where the dog last served. Commanders
might consult with the kennel master, military veterinarians and even animal
behavior specialists on staff at the training center, he said.
Dogs deemed adoptable, based
on medical condition and temperament, will normally be offered in the area
around the local installation, Probst said. Ronny was special -- he had
been returned to Lackland before DoD worked out its adoption procedures,
he said.
The local commander and staff
also must evaluate prospective adopters, Probst said. They must ensure
that applicants understand the considerable attack capabilities of a working
dog, as well as the standards of care necessary to keep the animal healthy
and happy, he explained.
Adopters, he continued, must
sign an agreement that absolves DoD and the government of any liability
for damage or injury the dog may cause and for any veterinary costs the
adopter may incur.
Probst noted that not all
military dogs are adoptable. Some mellow in their old age, for instance,
but many don't -- and former military dogs are still potentially dangerous.
So the key question, he said, is whether to allow a dog to leave its regimented
military life for the more unpredictable local community environment.
"For instance," he continued,
"how would that dog react to a good-natured wrestling match involving its
former handler? As a commander, with personal experience in the process,
I recognize the significant moral obligation inherent in that decision."
While extremely impaired
dogs would not be candidates for adoption, potential applicants should
understand that dogs up for adoption would likely suffer from some age-related
medical conditions, according to Army Col. Larry Carpenter, director of
DoD Military Working Dog Veterinary Services.
"These dogs are athletes
and have led very active lives," he said. "So it's to be expected that,
like many human athletes, these animals will start to exhibit some physical
problems as they reach old age."
Potential adopters will be
made aware of the medical condition of the dog they want, so they can make
an informed decision on whether they have the time and money to invest
in humanely providing for the animal, Carpenter said. Dog handlers and
veterinary staffers chose their professions because of their love and respect
for animals, he noted.
Military working dogs receive
extensive medical care throughout their lives, including a complete physical
evaluation every six months, he explained. The quality care and advances
in veterinary medicine over the past decade have increased the average
dog's life span from about 8 years to nearly 11, Carpenter said.
In the meantime, Ronny waits
contentedly in his kennel at Lackland, unaware that he may someday rate
a footnote in U.S. military history, not for his dedicated service but
for a new, unexpected role.
"Once he's here, he can do
whatever the heck he wants to," Bispham promised. "He's just going to be
a pet." |
