By
Laura Mueller
Laura Mueller
Laura Mueller is a well-regarded animal rescue expert and writer with nearly a decade of experience in animal advocacy. Laura is the former editor of Tails Pet Magazine and volunteers in animal rescue, including Chicago’s Anti-Cruelty Society and Starfish Animal Rescue.
Learn more about The Spruce Pets' Editorial Process
Updated on 04/06/21
When police dogs retire, they can be adopted by their handlers or other service members. If that's not an option, they can be adopted out into the general public. Adopting a retired police dog is a good way to give back to an animal that worked to keep your neighborhood or city safe. Though there is no one specific organization dedicated to finding policing dogs homes, there are organizations that work to help former working dogs, including putting them in good homes.
Many police departments around the country employ special K-9 units that assist officers in everything from finding missing people to searching for evidence at crime scenes. These heavily trained dogs are true partners to their human companions, working tirelessly alongside them to keep their handlers—and the rest of us—safe.
Up until the year 2000, most retired police dogs were euthanized, a shocking practice that was thankfully stopped when Robby’s Law was signed by then-President Bill Clinton. Under the new law, which still stands today, dogs retiring from service in law enforcement or the military can be adopted by their handlers or other service members or the general public.
Most of the time, police dogs retire because of age. These dogs are highly intelligent and work hard throughout their lives, first in training and then in active service. By age 7 or 8 (or sometimes up to 10 or 11), they’re ready to hang up their K-9 badges and spend their remaining years relaxing.
While police dogs are incredibly well-trained, the stress of the job can have unintended consequences, including anxiety and depression.
Dogs who retire from the police force may exhibit negative behaviors such as aggression, separation anxiety, or post-traumatic stress disorder. As such, they may require additional training in retirement or even re-socialization.
This isn’t to say that adopting a retired police dog isn’t worth it. In many cases, adopting a retired police K-9 is an incredible opportunity to provide a chance for a working dog to be just, well, a dog. If you’re interested in pursuing this type of rescue, read on for the steps that you’ll need to take.
Police dogs form intensely strong bonds with their handlers in the line of duty. As such, their handlers are always the first choice for adopters when the dogs retire. In most cases, these dogs do go on to live carefree lives as family pets with their police partners.
Usually, opportunities for civilians to adopt retired police dogs only occur if a dog’s handler passes away or cannot otherwise care for him or her.
Sometimes, dogs who “failed” out of police dog training and never actually performed active service become adoptable. In both cases, other law enforcement officers will be first in line to adopt, followed by the general public.
There is no organization strictly dedicated to adopting retired police dogs. Instead, organizations like the National Police Dog Foundation and the Retired Police Canine Foundation assist handlers with things like medical care and training for their retired pups.
Mission K9, however, is an organization that assists former working dogs in many ways, including arranging civilian adoptions. To find out more about their adoption procedure, as well as the process for adopting a retired police dog, visit their “Adopt” page.
Your best bet for adopting a retired police dog is to do the legwork yourself, calling local police stations and K-9 officer training facilities and inquiring directly. If a police department or training organization does have a dog for adoption or expects that they will soon—either because the dog is retiring from the force or deemed unfit for service—they’ll be able to fill you in on the exact adoption process and any adopter requirements.
Do note that waiting lists can take time, and it may be years before a dog is available for you.
The process to adopt a retired or “failed” police dog isn’t an easy one, nor is there a guarantee that a dog will be available or you’ll be successful in your application. If all the moving parts do come together, adopting a dog whose service has ended is a truly impactful way to give a happy ending to dogs who have worked hard to protect and serve the people around them.
The life of a police dog isn’t always easy. Like their handlers, police K-9s frequently face high-stress situations and life-threatening dangers. Adopting a retired police dog is an opportunity to provide a canine a chance to just be a pet in their final years, with all of the love and spoiling that goes along with it.
Rescuing a pet is a fantastic way to make a difference. If a retired police dog isn’t available, look through the TSA Dog Adoption Program, or consider just heading to your local shelter.
There are millions of dogs and cats in need of homes, and many would be delighted to find forever with you.
We don’t post photos of the dogs available. When we did, many would want to adopt a dog that was not a fit or match. Time was wasted, so now we review your application and will send you photos dogs available that are a match for your situation, if any.
If you want to adopt, please choose to support the work and expense required to keep bringing these dogs home.
Read all the details regarding adoptions below this form before you begin. Please understand that if you have cats or multiple pets, that waiting times are long. We do receive working dogs that are compatible with cats, but they are few and far between. Some dogs are not friendly to other dogs, especially alpha dogs, and that also will cause longer waits.
We will review your info when submitted and reach out when/if we have a compatible fit for your household. 99% of adoption related questions are answered on this page. If you have read all the details below the form on this page and still have a question, contact us by email.
Our dogs are RETIRED. Their work is finished.
They cannot be certified as Service Dogs for any purpose and are not trained for that work.
Homes with children under 12 may experience longer waits as our dogs are higher drive and may pose a risk for smaller children.
There can be a long waiting period if we do not have working dogs available at the time or if the dogs we have are not a fit for your particular home environment.
Some dogs are aggressive to other dogs, cats, etc.. all factors have to be considered before we place a dog.
We rescue Working Dogs as we become aware of them and place them afterwards.
The dogs we primarily have for placement are Contract Working Dogs.
They do the same job as Military Working Dogs but are not owned by the Government.
There are times when we also re-home Military Working Dogs and Police K9’s, yet we have no way to know when a particular dog may become available.
IMPORTANT – Please understand that before you can adopt, assuming you meet the particular needs criteria for a dog, we check everything.
If you have other pets we will call your Vet to see if they receive regular care.
Your home must meet acceptable standards. Standards vary by the type of dog to be placed.
You have to be stable and have plenty of time to devote to a working dog.
They must be walked at least twice a day, plus playtime as well.
They cannot be left alone for long periods.
You must be able to afford the cost of transportation and care for the dog you want to adopt.
If you are unable to afford regular vet care for a retired working dog (average cost of about $600 per year NOT including emergencies) please do not apply.
Mission K9 Rescue acts an intermediary/rescue between entities with retiring Working Dogs and cannot guarantee the availability or suitability of any Working Dog for adoption.
There are many that want to adopt these heroes and not that many heroes to go around, so please understand that while we do our best to place as many Working Dogs as possible, we cannot guarantee that you will receive a retired working dog.
Mission K9 works to place a retiring Working Dog in the best home possible for that particular dog.
We cannot continue our work without the support of those that wish to adopt.
Donate – https://donate.missionk9rescue.org – Donate
Donate to Mission K9 Rescue via Paypal: https://paypal.me/missionk9rescue
If you prefer to mail a check, please use this address for donations by mail:
Mission K9 Rescue
P.O. Box 395
Needville, TX 77461-0395
EIN 46-4302698 501(c)3 Non-Profit Organization
Mission K9 Rescue has no relationship or connection to the United States Government.
Contents
There is no organization dedicated exclusively to the adoption of retired police dogs. Instead, organizations such as the National Police Canine Foundation and the Retired Police Canine Foundation help handlers with things like medical care and training for their retired puppies.
Next steps in adopting MWD
All retired MWDs available for adoption are at the Military Service Dog School, which operates at Lackland Air Force Base in San Antonio, Texas. There is no fee to adopt a retired MWD, but you must pay all travel expenses.
Police dog handlers have the opportunity to leave their dogs, otherwise the police will look for a suitable family. According to the Retired Greyhound Trust (RGT), thousands of racing greyhounds become pets every year.
Interested in adopting a retired military working dog? You can contact officials at [email protected] or call 210-671-6766.
Freedom Service Dogs of America accepts dogs from shelters for the purpose of turning them into service animals; if they don't pass the training, FSD accepts them. TSA also takes care of the dogs they have trained.
These dogs are not new to the front lines. The US Navy SEALs used a Belgian Malinois named Cairo in Operation Neptune Spear to capture and kill bin Laden.
In the US, police dogs are trained to respond to commands in German. A police dog, known in some English-speaking countries as "K-9" or "K9" (homophone for "canine"), is a dog specially trained to assist police and other law enforcement personnel.
At what age does a dog retire? Depending on the state of health, he is usually about 10 years old.
Where will the dog go after he ends his police career? He lives at home with his trainer to live his life as a pet.
Police dogs form a strong bond with their owners while on duty. As such, their handlers are always the first choice for adopters when dogs retire. In most cases, these dogs continue to live carefree lives as pets with their police partners.
Valuable to police work, these animals can pose a real danger to innocent bystanders or cause excessive force when ordered to bite and restrain a suspect. Richard Polsky, Ph.D. Approximately 4.5 million people are bitten by dogs in the United States each year.
For the capture of an enemy spy, Stubby was appointed commander of the 102nd Infantry Regiment with the rank of sergeant.
He became the first dog to receive a rank in the US military.
German Shepherds and Retrievers are commonly used, but the Belgian Malinois has proven to be one of the most outstanding working dogs used in military service.
People can get guide dogs from specialized organizations if they meet certain criteria. Criteria may include: physical handicap or debilitating mental illness. a letter of recommendation from a physician or licensed mental health professional.
Adopting a failed guide dog or a retired guide dog is not an easy process and it may take some time until you are matched. The selection process is usually based on suitability rather than on a first come, first served basis.
The easiest way to adopt a dog is to contact a guide dog charity, breeder, or training organization.
It is not surprising that sniffer dogs are used at airports, as they are able to detect the following substances in luggage and on the human body: Drugs, including herbs, cocaine, opium and heroin. Explosives / bombs.
You can ask your veterinarian or call your local dog training academy to see if they know of anyone who needs a home for a trained dog. While training academies don't usually sell trained dogs themselves, they can still point you in the right direction.
Society
Anna Kulikova19.02.2020
29 023
Inspired by the news that in 2019 240 crimes were solved in the region with the help of dogs, ProVladimir journalists went to the Canine Service Center of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia in the Vladimir Region to get to know the four-legged fighters better.
And, of course, take beautiful photos.
The center is located at a distance from the residential area, on Moskovskoe Highway. Today, 23 working dogs live here, and in the region there are 101 such four-legged fighters.0003
As ProVladimir was told by the senior inspector dog handler, police captain Natalia Lebedeva, one, maximum two dogs are assigned to the handler. They are bought as puppies in kennels or bred here. The best are selected for the service - the kids are watched as soon as they turn 45 days old. There are many important points: how the puppy behaves with a person and with other dogs, how it reacts to loud sounds and other stimuli.
“When a puppy is six months old, you can already say, in principle, what it will be like. We need dogs with a strong nervous system, fearless and curious,” explains Natalia.
Each dog lives in a separate enclosure with a booth, in case of frost there is a bed of hay.
Four-legged fighters are fed twice a day, with dry food. And, of course, daily classes are provided for them.
Until the puppies are one year old, they are taught obedience - the commands "sit", "stand", "come". Classes are held daily and in a playful way, so that every tailed student is interested. At the same time, different dogs need a different approach. Some are ready to complete the task for a snack, others for a toy.
When the dog has learned to obey, they start doing more serious things. For several months, four-legged animals have been trained according to the full program of a special course - to look for prohibited substances or explosives, to detain a criminal and follow the trail. The character and temperament of everyone is different, so those directions for which the dog has the ability will develop.
They also train dogs to work in the districts. To get acquainted with tailed helpers, cynologists come to summer camps. Man and dog get used to each other, establish interaction.
And then they leave to work together.
Natalya Lebedeva reacts with surprise to the stereotype that dogs are allegedly put on drugs so that they are interested in finding illegal substances:
“Well, you! And if you look for explosives, so what - to feed them with grenades? No, of course it's not true. Although in the process of service I came across such rumors ... ".
Currently, the canine center of the regional Department of the Ministry of Internal Affairs is inhabited mainly by shepherd dogs. But there is also a Labrador, Rottweilers and two Belgian Shepherds - Malinois.
“Sheepdogs are very friendly, they are a friend dog. And Malinois are active, nimble, they constantly need to throw out their energy. Rottweilers need an individual approach, you need to be stricter with them," Natalia tells about the pets' character traits.
Malinois need to constantly splash out their energy There is also a Russian spaniel in the Vladimir region.
This breed is good not only for its sensitive scent, but also for its miniature size - it will crawl where a large dog cannot. However, of course, you will not go to detention with a spaniel.
Service dogs are not usually entered in shows where conformity to breed standards is judged. But in competitions, please. And they get rewards for it. Tailed have something to show.
Cynological center employees demonstrate the abilities of their pupils. The red-and-black shepherd dog catches up with the "intruder" in several giant leaps and tightly clings to his cotton sleeve with his teeth - "will not leave!"
Shaggy Chelsea, Natalya's "sponsored" dog, is looking for banned substances in boxes and bags on the snow. Having poked his nose into the conditional luggage and having identified "the same suitcase", the shepherd freezes in place, attracting the attention of the dog handler.
Having received well-deserved praise, Chelsea runs after the ball on the command "fetch" - she is just one of those dogs that are ready to "give their soul" for a fun game.
Finally, the Belgian Shepherd Malinois is brought out - the staff jokingly call it "malinka". While the owner is distracting the dog, an imitator of the smell of a prohibited substance is placed in the rear wheel arch of the car. The Malinois hears the command, flies like a yellow arrow to the car...
It takes the dog less than a minute to sniff the car. The result is obvious - it fits next to the "booty", showing that the work is done.
Service dogs are sent out in special vehicles. From the outside, the animal box may not look very comfortable, but this is a deceptive impression. Inside, the floor is lined with a special coating-litter and there is even an air conditioner.
“If a call comes , we get in the car and drive. There are cynologists who work in shifts, so we are ready to leave at any time - "if a crime has occurred, if there is a threat of an explosion, a suspicious object is found, a theft or robbery has occurred ...", - Natalya describes the field of activity.
This is exactly how dog handlers with dogs repeatedly went to sites last year due to a wave of calls about “mining”. And this is how they go out to help solve various kinds of crimes. We can even talk about a murder committed a few years ago. It is hardly worth telling the details of the search for human remains in the forest, however, service dogs also cope with such work.
Dogs serve in the police until they are eight years old. Upon reaching this age, a special commission studies the working qualities of the animal. If everything is in order, then the four-legged fighter continues to work for the next year, and then a commission awaits him again.
“If we see that a dog has vision loss, hearing loss, or some other disease, then it no longer works. Either cynologists take her home, or one of the civilians. We place ads on the Internet. But most often, employees keep the dog for themselves,” Natalya says.
Cynologists emphasize that if a dog is taken away by civilians, then the staff of the center continue to monitor its fate: they contact new owners and ask to send photos.
