Military hospital opens for dogs who have served

Life Pets & Domestic Animals
1

Military hospital opens for dogs who served

[quote]
SAN ANTONIO, Texas (AP) – A $15 million veterinary hospital for four-legged military personnel opened Tuesday at Lackland Air Force Base, offering a long overdue facility that gives advanced medical treatment for combat-wounded dogs.

Dogs working for all branches of the military and the Transportation Safety Administration are trained at the base to find explosive devices, drugs and land mines. [/quote]

At a time when Job losses are occurring in 41 states and I can’t get proper health care ( have been turned down by 3 companies), returning military troops aren’t even getting proper treatment and we’ve just had a massive bailout. Why?

I’m certain there will be the usual shit storm from the regulars, but this IMNotHO is ridiculous.

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Let’s see… they go into combat, get injured and then recieve much-needed medical aid. I’m afraid I don’t see the problem.

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At best, it’s a humane and appreciative gesture; at worst, it’s an attempt to get their investment back on the front line ASAP.

I guess if you want similar treatment, you should go risk your life for your country.

4

[quote=“Stray Dog”]At best, it’s a humane and appreciative gesture; at worst, it’s an attempt to get their investment back on the front line ASAP.

I guess if you want similar treatment, you should go risk your life for your country.[/quote]

But see that’s the problem, Americans who are risking their lives for their country aren’t getting similar treatment.

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So what should be done with the dogs, then? Let them die slowly, or kill them?

I know of at least “some people” who choose to kill a sick pet instead of seeking proper treatment, so I guess the same “people” would be pretty opposed to such a project. Personally, I think the article is about right when I read “long overdue.”

This said, I agree that there are other long standing issues regarding health care in the US which should prevail, but I guess people got what they bargained for when they elected Bush & co. TWICE! Dogs do not vote.

marboulette

6

There is a song “War Dogs” they used to play in DogCat Radio, about how combat dogs risk their lives for their human partners and afterwards are thrown away in cages, forgotten and neglected. Seems there is a law they cannot be released as pets because of their training/exposure to dangerous items/being government property, etc…

Just because they are more loyal to people, that people to them or to each other, is not their fault, but a blessing. maybe then people can learn to treat human combat vets with half the decency they give to their pets. These are working animals, that is why Buddist refrain from eating their fellow cow coworkers.

The situation with vets and general population in the US is a major social tragedy, that has little to do with combat dogs and a lot with a “save the bottom line” mentality. I was reading yesterday in the BBC website about this guy who had an IT job, lost it, and now sleeps in his car, eats at a soup kitchen, etc. Of course people are frustrated because they follow the rules, pay their bills, and still end up with a big bootprint on their derriere.

In summary, don’t blame the dogs for the inexistence of a social net in teh US. Blame the people who let it happen.

7

In my opinion, this is long overdue.