Kevin and Dazz, two British Army dogs, helped save thousands of lives in Afghanistan, were facing death by lethal injection after senior officers ruled that they cannot be rehomed. The dogs worked with troops to locate explosives in Helmand Province and were retired four years ago.
The Belgian shepherds are due to be put down next week and were deemed ‘unsafe.’
However, former soldiers and handlers have called for the decision to be reversed.
Two British Army dogs, which helped save thousands of lives in Afghanistan, face death by lethal injection after senior officers ruled that they can’t be rehomed. Pictured is Kevin
Kevin (pictured) and Dazz worked with troops to locate explosives in Helmand Province and retired four years ago
The Belgian shepherds are due to be put down next week, but former soldiers and handlers have called for the decision to be reversed
The soldiers have now written to the Defence Animal Centre in Melton Mowbray, Leicestershire where the dogs have been working with trainees since being retired, trying to save the pair.
A Ministry of Defence spokesman said: ‘Wherever possible, we endeavor to rehome them (dogs) at the end of their service life. Sadly, there are some occasions where this is not possible.’
SAS soldier Andy McNab has launched a petition in a bid to stop the duo from being put down, as well as a third canine, a former police dog named Driver.
On the site, he wrote: ‘Dogs like Kevin, Dazz, and Driver are an asset when they are serving but they even more of an asset when they are retired. We owe them every chance possible to be housed and not killed.’
They have now written to the Defence Animal Centre in Melton Mowbray, Leicestershire – where the dogs have been working with trainees since being retired – to save the pair
A petition has been launched by former SAS soldier Andy McNab in a bid to stop the duo being put down, as well as a third canine, a former police dog named Driver
He praised service dogs for saving ‘countless lives when I was in the Special Air Service sniffing out explosives’
McNab praised the service dogs for saving ‘countless lives when I was in the Special Air Service sniffing out explosives.’
‘In Afghanistan when I was on patrol the dogs found an IED in front of us, I was number three in line, I was very, very lucky to survive.’
The MoD sparked controversy when two dogs, who were protecting Prince William, were put down just two days after he left.
An Army spokesman said: ‘Wherever possible we endeavor to rehome military working dogs.
‘Sadly there are occasions where this is not possible.’
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