Written by PETA
After hearing reports that the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is planning to add 3,000 more dogs to those already sniffing out "bombs, drugs and smuggled cash," PETA fired off an urgent letter to DHS Secretary Janet Napolitano, asking that the dogs be adopted from shelters and breed-rescue groups, rather than bought from breeders.
If DHS rescued dogs from animal shelters, not only would it help curb the animal overpopulation crisis, it could also give dogs an opportunity for an exciting and fulfilling life. When dogs work with someone they like, they have a far better life than if they live in a crate and get a brief walk twice a day, for example. Some police officers hold retirement parties for their dogs, while others treat them like equipment. That's why we are also asking DHS to ensure that the dogs who are added to its forces are allowed to live in the homes of their trainers, trained with positive reinforcement, and retired properly if they fail the grade, get injured, or grow old. Please weigh in by contacting DHS and join us in asking Napolitano to require these animals to be treated like loyal companions—not like tools from a storage shed.
Written by Jeff Mackey
This looks like PR smoke and mirrors to me. Also, there is an address for unsolicited proposal. The government doesn't take unsoliced proposals, you have to register your business and then get scored as you submit proposals for projects one at a time. I am talking about the consultant putting together their "statement of qualifications package" and sending it off to the government procurement officers to be evaluated when an advertisment is posted. I have never seen a Federal advertisment that allows for dogs to come from shelters. They must have their pedigree paperwork and a host of other things as stated in the ad. Now maybe I am reading the various press releases wrong and they are wanting shelters and rescues to give the dogs away for free to government facilities like those at Lackland AFB etc. Also I am not talking about local governments, I know they will take rescues. I have seen fire departments do it all the time. I am specifically talking about the Federal government saying it will accept rescue dogs, but not having any "requests for proposal" that will allow a contractor to supply a "rescue dog".
I just double checked some of thier recent canine solicitation and DHS wants pedigrees,registration certificates, scorebooks and breedsurveys included in submitted proposals. If its listed in the RFP be assured they will be giving points to those contractors that provide such information. A consultant with rescues can't provide this info and thus will get less points, reducing their chances of being selected for the contract. I suppose an established and experienced government contractor may be able to supply the occational "rescue" dog with a batch of other dogs, likely only after they have won the contract.
I also saw a listing for the ATF that asked for purebread labradors only. I don't know how a rescue dogs would have such pedigree info, unless the rescuing agency got lucky and the last owner gave it to them at the time of surrender. I am not talking about dog ability etc. I am talking about the Department of Homeland Security outright lying to the public saying that they will accept rescues or shelter dogs, when there are no such provisions in thier public solicitations.
To all all those saying:
"This is Wonderful,What an excellent idea etc"
Realized that this is not real, only a miniscule amount of shelter dogs across the ENTIRE country would meet the breed, age and temperament requirements. Second, how does the dog get delivered to the "government agency" that has put out an RFP for untrained canines? If you have not put together a proposal for the Federal Government in your career I suggest that you refrain from commenting on how "great" this is because its not REAL. The Federal government does not procure dogs in this manner and they never will. Local agencies are different and as others have said only the handlers/trainers of the agencies procuring the dogs can determine if a dog as a shot at passing the entry requirements. To put my comments into perscpective you all need to realize that the federal government has not taken donated dogs on a mass scale since World War II.
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