Like their human counterparts, K9 dogs offer valuable service during their time as working dogs. They work hard and sacrifice a lot. Even as puppies, they train every day, sometimes for years, to develop the skills and mindset that would make them effective in the field.
And by the time they retire, they are already seniors that have developed a routine. One that can make them outcasts in the civilian society.
Nowhere to go
Many K9 dogs are adopted by their handlers when they retire. But there also numerous others who end up in a kennel, and in worst-case scenarios, they are euthanized. A former Navy SEAL, Mike Ritland, finds this unacceptable.
He knows how hard these dogs have worked and the sacrifices that they have made. He also knows that during those years of service, they can also develop mental scars much like PTSD with humans. So he knew he needed to do something to make their lives better.
Last-ditch effort
Mike, who has served more than 12 years, and have worked with many K9 dogs, founded the Warrior Dog Foundation. It is a non-profit organization based in Texas that aims to help K9s transition from their former scary environment to a happy retirement life. There they provide physical and mental rehabilitation so that these dog veterans can be adopted and integrated into a civilian atmosphere.
Mike has gone all out to create a facility that provides everything that these retired dogs need. They have a very experienced staff that works hard to provide positive reinforcement and modify high-strung behavior engrained by years of training. And when they are fully and totally rehabilitated, they are found homes where they can enjoy their golden years.
The foundation knows that these dogs deserve more, and they should be rewarded for what they have done to make the world a peaceful and better place to live in.
Source: Inside Edition via Youtube
