IRAQ POLICE DOGs - Page 1

Has anyone heard that the "Police Dogs" in Iraq are dying because lack of food? I recieved this article from another list...it was asking for food donations because they cannot buy dog food there...also asking for large boots for dogs...sand is treacherous on the dogs' feet. I have the address if anyone wants it. I can paste the article on the message board if it is permissable......please advise if you want further info. Thanks !

Does anyone know how we could verify this? And, if this is True...COULD WE ALL COME TOGETHER TO HELP OUT AND PROVIDE AIDE TO THESE DOGS?? PERHAPS I WILL CONTACT THE INTN'L WORKING DOG ASSOCIATION.....I WILL FOLLOW-UP WITH ANY INFO I OBTAIN.

Are the police dogs owned by the Iraqis or U S Forces? Our dogs are taken care of and I would think that even Iraqi police dogs would be taken care of by us if that was necessary, since American lives are at stake. I do not find that senario, as presented, plausible.......At ALL.

Just caught a film clip on AOLNews.... it is hard to tell if the soldier is American or Iraqi but he looks more American to me.... This particular newsclip showed a person from the Las Vegas Humane Society launching a drive to get help and food to these dogs.... of course she stood there with her long coat GSD that looked as big as a couch!!! I had heard on tv also where petco and a couple of other companies have gotten involved in sending food over..... I have yet to find a contact number - will see what I can come up with....

DKiah's got the scoop. I caught this info on my local news channel a few days ago. Our troops have been having family members from the US send bags of dog food. It's simply not enough. From what I recall there are 12 GSDs, and 8 labs in very poor condition from being fed garbage and scraps. Between the Las Vegas Humane Society, Petco and Petsmart they should be in very good shape. Last I heard pallets of dog food are on the way. The news report also mentioned several dog food companies are sponsoring the dogs now. Why the government never though to care for these poor beasts is beyond me?! Guess we need the little magnetic ribbons to "SUPPORT OUR MILITARY DOGS" :-) Happy New Year everyone... Sue-Ann

I found the news post: http://www.thewmurchannel.com/news/4050736/detail.html?treets=man&tid=2652975401813&tml=man_dailyforecast&tmi=man_dailyforecast_1_05450101062005&ts=H ______quote___________ Soldier Begging For Dog Food For Deployed Dogs Commander Says Dogs Live Off Scraps And Garbage POSTED: 2:58 pm EST January 5, 2005 LAS VEGAS -- The commander of an Army Reserve detachment is begging friends back home to send food for Iraqi police dogs. "The dogs are starving and urgently need dry dog food," Capt. Gabriella Cook, commander of the Las Vegas-based 313th Military Police Detachment, said in a Dec. 28 e-mail reported Wednesday by the Las Vegas Review-Journal. "Some of them have already died," Cook wrote. "Half of them are sick. We have no way of buying actual dog food here." Cook's unit arrived last month in the Iraq capital. She said 12 German shepherds and one black Labrador retriever trained for bomb-detection and attack at the Iraqi Police Academy in Baghdad have been eating table scraps and garbage. "It seems like an emergency situation," Diana Paivanas, a Henderson pet-care provider and Cook's friend, told the Review-Journal. "Something needs to be done now to save these dogs." Sen. John Ensign, R-Nev., a veterinarian, directed a legislative aide to contact an Army liaison to investigate, a spokesman for the senator said. But when contacted Wednesday, his office said they were unsure where to send donations and that they are looking into it. Military officials at the Combined Press Information Center in Baghdad did not immediately respond to the newspaper's request for information about the food supply for U.S. canines in Iraq. Paivanas said she found it costs about $50 to mail a 30-pound bag of dog food to Cook. Henderson Veterinarian Terry Muratore estimated that each of the 13 working dogs would consume a 40 pounds or more of dry food per month. "If securing the country entails having security dogs that are healthy, then we should do that," Muratore said. "Surely there's space on a C-130 to get a pallet of dog food over there." If you would like to help feed the dogs, you may send checks to the Las Vegas Valley Humane Society. They are working with several companies to ship food to the animals as soon as possible. "PetSmart has donated a pallet of food, and we hope PetCo will do the same," Judith Ruiz, president of the Las Vegas Valley Humane Society said. Ruiz said several companies have donated food and that with the money, the Humane Society will be able to buy more dog food at a discounted rate and will also pay for shipping to Iraq. "All funds will go directly for the animals," Ruiz said. The Humane Society is a nonprofit, all-volunteer organization. So your donation will be tax deductible. Send donations to: Las Vegas Valley Humane Society Funds For Dogs In Iraq 2250 E. Tropicana Suite 19 Las Vegas, NV 89119 Make checks payable to the Las Vegas Valley Humane Society. The group asks that you indicate in a letter or on the check that you want your donation to go to the dogs in Iraq. _____end of quote_____

From what we understood from the article we read, these are not American Forces K9's that are starving, those dog-handler teams are deployed with 180 days worth of rations for both handler *and* dog. The dogs in the story are part of the Iraq policing system, so our government "technically" would not be responsible for them. This info seems a bit more accurate, it was in both reuters and usa today.. http://www.usatoday.com/news/world/iraq/2005-01-07-dog-food_x.htm If you visit the shelters link: http://www.lvvhumane.org/ this is the statement you will find: Message about Iraqi Guard Dogs The Las Vegas Valley Humane Society has been involved for several days in helping arrange food supplies for the Iraqi guard dogs reported as needing help in several media releases. We are pleased to report that the problem has been solved. We have worked with Mr. Ron Aiello, president of The War Dogs Association and a long time supporter of war dogs on a worldwide basis, and Senator John Ensign of Nevada, a veterinarian and sponsor of much animal related legislation. Both have been instrumental in solving this problem. DHL the company that flies material for the US forces in Iraq had also offered to transport food and veterinary supplies for the Iraq police dogs. The following e mail is being sent to those who have contacted the Las Vegas Valley Humane Society expressing their concern over the Iraqi guard dogs or offering assistance in arranging food for them. Dear Friends of Animals: The nationwide response from compassionate people resulting from news stories about the Iraqi security dogs has been overwhelming. The issue of feeding these dogs has now been resolved and we have been assured that Hills Pet Food company will donate food for the Iraqi dogs and have it delivered on a continuing basis. We therefore will not have need for contributions of funds for food for the Iraqi security dogs. We understand veterinary medical supplies will be needed and we hope they will be donated. We believe in a “Donor Bill of Rights” that requires all contributions for a specific cause be used only for that cause. Therefore, all funds donated to the Las Vegas Valley Humane Society designated for the Iraqi dogs will be returned. Some people offering support interpreted the media stories as reporting problems with the US war dogs deployed in Iraq. We want to emphasize that the dogs involved belong to the Iraq police force. The US dogs are reported to be in excellent condition and receive great care from their handlers. The outpouring of compassion throughout our country has been overwhelming. I would urge every one to support their local rescue and spay / neuter programs. For more information on the Las Vegas Valley Humane Society programs click on our website at www.lvvhumane.org. Judith Ruiz President Las Vegas Valley Humane Society

Be careful of what the press says. The article clearly is misleading when it is entittled, "Soldier Begging For Dog Food For Deployed Dogs". Deployed, in and of itself misleads one to think that these are American Forces dogs. Yet, into the article, it clearly mentions these as "Iraqi dogs". I would not have such a knee jerk reaction to media reports. They want everyone to believe Americans are mean, inept and vicious, even to poor animals(these dogs). I spent 22 years in the Army, most of them abroad and the "Tables Of Allowances" dictate what is carried, for whom and how much. Here again, as this was initially report on this board, this article is dubious, at best. There are dogs in countries all over the world that need dog food, including Iraq. I will bet my career that not one deployed American forced working dog is being mistreated or not have adequate food/supplies/support.

American forces working dog NOT:American forced working dog sorry for the typo

I am so glad this has resolved. The article clearly states the American dog soldiers are being very well taken care of ! Thank Goodness. The cruelty and selfishness of people never ceases to amaze me . Many take advantage of the loyalty and blessings of our animals. I know this must sound contrite and naive in a world of conflict, strife..where murder, aggression,theft and vulgarity reigns the airways of communication...television, movies, news...etc...enough of my soap box.