It’s a victory for shelter dogs and we helped make it happen. When the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), announced it would be paying breeders to produce several thousand Shepherds, Retrievers, and Labs for DHS security programs, we wrote letters to Director Janet Napolitano and to our congressmen and senators. We respectfully requested that shelter dogs be considered for the project instead.
Folks, we did it. Our requests were heard. The DHS announced last month that it would indeed consider shelter dogs for its programs. The announcement was made via a letter to PETA president, Ingrid Newkirk, who also lobbied passionately on behalf of shelter dogs. Usually, however, it takes many, many voices to impel a ship as big as the federal government away from its chosen course, so credit must be shared with all of us who took action. Thank you, thank you for helping to make a difference.
According to the DC Animal News Examiner:
If you are involved with a shelter and would like to nominate a dog for the program, you can submit a proposal to the Department of Homeland Security at this address:
Att: Unsolicited Proposal Officer
Training and Development Division
Program Directorate
Office of Procurement
Customs and Border Protection Agency
1310 PA Ave, NW
Washington DC
For more information on the breeds and temperaments DHS is looking for, click here. Dogs will undergo rigorous testing to make sure they meet the standards required by the Department. Little do they know, most of these dogs have already succeeded under much harsher conditions.
