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Has Washington gone to the dogs? Yes! Literally.
This info comes from a report by the Government Accountability Office, which tells us what these dogs are up to. The report did identify concerns with the management of federal working dog programs.
The government employs 5,159 dogs and another 421 work as canine contractors. They range in different breeds from German shepherds to Jack Russell terriers. These furry helpers aren’t just pets; they have jobs to do. Some help park rangers in snowy places like Denali, while others sniff out bird flu.
The Department of Homeland Security has the most dogs, nearly 3,000 of them. They mainly work at airports and for defense. They’re trained to find explosives and drugs and work in places like Amtrak, the Postal Service, foreign countries and even the Strategic Petroleum Reserve.
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But it’s not only dogs working for the government. The U.S. Army used to handle pigeons until 1957, and the NIH has lots of research animals. NASA once sent monkeys into space, and the Navy uses dolphins and sea lions to find mines.
Even though these animals have important jobs, they face risks and need lots of training, which can cost up to $85,000 each. The GAO says they should get good care like food, shelter, grooming, retirement and exercise.
