8 Service Dogs Retirement

In 2015, 29 working dogs of mixed breeds were taken to the eastern boarder of Turkey to identify and locate land mines.

After four years of hard tireless work preventing the loss of human life in the baking heat of Turkey the contract ended.  The company hoped  to renew the contract  therefore the dogs were left in Turkey with the handlers to care for and to feed them.  Unfortunately due to Covid the company did not return to Turkey and eventually ceased to trade.

For 2 years the handlers cared for the dogs.  Whilst waiting on the eastern boarder a new company won the contract and took over both project and dogs: as fate would have it they ended up in the hands of ex British Army Dog Handler, Jess.

Jess and the current Hero Paws  team have worked together in the past so she knew she could reach out to the them for help,  we  in turn approached Mission K9  in the USA . Both of us specialise in the care and retirement of service dogs.

In May 2021 Jess  and her ever growing team managed to move the dogs to a beautiful safe location in Turkey under the amazing care of Fly Dog K9 Services  while they seek ways to find them much needed loving retirement homes both in the UK and United States.

With timing crucial due to the CDC regulations taking affect in the US there is no time to waste. We need to get all the legal paperwork and veterinary care in order and get the dogs to a safe location in Bulgaria where they can transit onto their much deserved retirement homes.

With the EU laws, Brexit regulations and new CDC implications coming into effect the cost of such a task is great but does not even come close to the countless lives these amazing dogs have saved during their service locating and identifying mines.

We need to cover: Veterinary costs, transport, housing, feeding and a whole lot more for the 17 remaining heroes.  8 DOGS will come to the UK with Hero Paws and 9 DOGS will go to the USA with Mission K9

Unfortunately 3 dogs were killed in the line of duty locating mines, 2 had to be put to sleep due to ailments and 7 thankfully found their forever homes in Turkey. That leaves us with 17 warriors to find their forever homes. We have an extraordinary long journey ahead but between the  charities,  Jess, her awesome team and you guys we've got them!