Thursday, November 17, 2011

Working Dogs Need Retirement, Too

Max - NK9WD Mascot   
According to the National K-9 Working Dog, Inc organization, the majority of the dogs that serve to protect the general public are discharged from duty with no benefits.  The lucky ones get adopted by their human partners while the not so fortunate are put to sleep.  

The National K-9 Working Dog was established to help working and retired police, search and rescue, and service dog adoptive families with the expenses that go with keeping such a dog comfortable in their retirement years.  They believe that no retired working dog should ever have to suffer discomfort or premature death because of a lack of financial support.

They are creating a national database registry for all working dogs.  Once identified these dogs can be given the equipment and care necessary to protect their lives and wellbeing.  In addition the Nk9WD conducts public awareness workshops and events to educate the public about service dogs, incuding the rights of service dogs and their handlers under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).

Their most recent project is the National K-9 Learning and Earning Program which includes a partnership with fifth and sixth graders at Laurel Intermediate School in Laurel, Delaware.  Through donations from local businesses and individual, the children will be paid a penny a day for good schoolwork and attendance.  The money is invested in a CD and eventually goes to the care of regired service dogs that are adopted by police officers.  According to Jay Meranchik, founder of NK9WD, "Our goal is to get these children to relate to what happens to police K-9s after working in a job without retirement benefits."

For more information about National K-9 Working Dog, Inc visit them on the web at www.nationalk-9workingdog.org .

1 comment:

  1. I think a lot of people just figure dogs live forever, or at least until their job is done. Retirement? Geeze, even the military, once "decommissioning" dogs, leaves them wherever they're deployed unless somebody adopts them and brings them home. It's awful.

    Especially after they've done a job for us, dogs deserve retirement.

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