Canine army veterans have their own holiday, the K-9 Veterans Day, celebrated every year on March 13th. The day marks the day of birth of the US Army K9 Corps, March 13th, 1942. This national day wants to celebrate the amazing dogs that have ever served the US army, throughout history. The idea for this holiday pertains to Joseph White, a retired military dog trainer, who saw the great help that these canine service dogs have offered.
We all know how amazing dogs are, and if we think about working dogs, and their intelligence, loyalty and tremendous help, they indeed need a celebration day of their own.
Dogs are a symbol of friendship, loyalty, trust and unconditional love for their fellow men. They never let you down or leave you for no good reason. Specially trained dogs, such as the K-9 army division that are not just your partners and friends, but can actually save the lives of military men and prevent any dangers.
The K-9 division of service dogs was established during the 2nd World War when the American troops saw that using service dogs in the army was already a practice in Europe. Back then, this division was named Dogs for Defense. After the Pearl Harbor attack, they furthermore understood the importance of rescue and military-trained dogs in the military service.
Ever since K-9 service dogs played a very important role in the American military service as they are still used today. Unfortunately, not all K-9 veterans get to have a permanent home after the service is over. Old, but still eager to find someone to show their faithfulness and loyalty, a lot of retired service dogs end up in shelters. There are organizations that help people adopt these dogs.
Today, in celebration of K-9 veterans, look into how you can adopt a retired service dog on the off-chance you’re looking to get a new dog. Or if not, give your dogs a good treat as a sign of appreciation for dogs all over the world, including service dogs. Also, share this on social media with the hashtag #NationalK9VeteransDay. Happy K-9 Veterans Day!