New hospital for military dogs opened

[unhappycamper]

New hospital for military dogs opened
By Michelle Roberts - The Associated Press
Posted : Wednesday Oct 22, 2008 5:46:57 EDT

SAN ANTONIO — A new $15 million veterinary hospital, complete with operating rooms and intensive care, officially opened here Tuesday, offering an advanced facility to treat military dogs that find bombs and aid patrols on the warfront.

Dogs working for all branches of the military and the Transportation Safety Administration, are trained at Lackland Air Force Base to find explosive devices, drugs and land mines. Some 2,500 are currently working with military units.

Like soldiers and Marines on the battlefront, military dogs suffer war wounds and routine health issues that need to be treated to ensure they can continue working.

Dogs injured in Iraq or Afghanistan get emergency medical treatment on the battlefield and are flown for care to Germany. If necessary, they’ll fly on to San Antonio for more advanced treatment — much like wounded human personnel.

“We act as the Walter Reed of the veterinary world,” said Army Col. Bob Vogelsang, hospital director. “If they can make it back here, they can usually go back to the fight” after treatment.


Rest of article at: http://www.armytimes.com/news/2008/10/ap_veterinary_hospital_102108/%2e



uhc comment: Perhaps it's just me, but I have difficulty with spending $15,000,000 for a dog hospital when the VA has over 400,000 cases of backlogged disability claims pending.

[Dissent Is Patriotic]

1. Let me put it to you in terms of money, bc that's how you're looking at it

would you rather invest in a canine bomb detector, whose death costs the military less, or a human bomb detector, whose death costs the military more.


(BTW: I think it's smart in more than just the financial sense.)

[unhappycamper]

2. Actually, I think both occupations should be ended ASAP.

They serve no purpose other than to keep the MIC busy building more 'goodies', the Department of War buying those 'goodies' at cost-plus, and the VA busy with a huge backlog of damaged soldiers.

[hlthe2b]

3. Actually, these dogs ARE soldiers and being treated as such

Think about it... You are construing this as though they were spending this money treating PETS, for heavens sakes. In every sense of the word, these dogs are soldiers (or police officers in some cases). They are not only deserving of this level of care, it only makes sense frm an investment point of view.