Earlier this week, President Obama affirmed that U.S. combat troops will leave Iraq by the end of August “as promised and on schedule.” After reading this Associated Press story about a military dog who came home from Iraq “cowering and fearful,” I can only hope that President Obama will commit to withdrawing canine troops right away as well. They didn’t sign up, and no one can even explain to them why shells are going off and the ground is shaking.
When Gina, a 2-year-old German shepherd, was sent to Iraq to sniff out explosives, she was friendly and playful. But after months of explosions and door-to-door searches with tense soldiers, she returned home terrified of people and places. When her handlers took her into a new building, she slunk along the floor and tried to hide under furniture. Gina was diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Unbelievably, Gina’s handlers hope that she will recover enough to be able to resume “hazardous duty”! Sorry? What?
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You can guess how many military dogs must be coming home traumatized. Humans picked this war—animals should be left out of it.
Written by Paula Moore
