These little doggos failed government training and were deemed ‘too friendly’ for the line of duty.
Shelters across the world are inundated with animals searching for their forever homes, but did you know that you can also adopt puppies that were ‘too friendly’ for government training from the Transportation and Security Administration (TSA)?
Police dogs in training are generally larger breeds, like German Shepherds, Belgian Malinoises, and Labrador Retrievers, so this scheme pairs dogs who failed to graduate from their training with families who can provide a loving home to larger breeds.
The most common reason that a puppy does not pass government training is because they are too excitable to complete the rigorous training programme. Thus, they become available for adoption.
You can adopt dogs that were ‘too friendly’ to become police dogs – and the retirees, too
Adopting a dog is no easy process, and thankfully, the TSA has many strict regulations that families must comply with to be eligible to adopt these “dropout” doggies.
The dogs are usually between two and four years old. Families must have a fenced garden or yard and be able to provide the correct “medical care, exercise, training and companionship”.
Furthermore, it’s not just the young pups in training that need loving homes. No, TSA retirees also require a forever home after they finish their line of service.
According to We Are the Mighty, 90% of retired active service dogs, whether it’s from injury, illness, or age, are homed with their handlers, but this isn’t always the case for the other 10%.
In fact, before the introduction of Robby’s Law in 2000, shockingly, it wasn’t uncommon for retired service dogs to be euthanised after their years of service were over.
The Canine Adoption Program – how to adopt a dog that was ‘too friendly’ for service
The Canine Adoption Agency in San Antonio, Texas, said that the dogs that failed their government training were either too rambunctious or too nice for the difficult work of keeping travellers safe.
It is completely free to adopt a dog from the Canine Adoption Program, but there are many requirements that need to be met for a family to be considered.
For starters, you would need to be willing to travel to Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland, Texas, to meet the dogs. The dogs cannot be shipped to you, and you might need to make multiple visits.
Furthermore, you should have no intentions of moving within six months of adopting a dog.
Adopt, Don’t Shop – an amazing way to save a dog
In recent years, shelters all over the world have been crying out for people to adopt abandoned dogs in need of their forever homes instead of buying puppies from breeders.
The Adopt, Don’t Shop movement really took off in the last few years, with many celebrities endorsing charities who work to save dogs from high-kill shelters, as well as adopting their own canine companions instead of buying them.
If you would like to be considered to adopt a dog from the TSA’s Canine Adoption Program, you can check out all the requirements and submit an application here.
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