Lake Elsinore Honors K9 Veterans With Special Day

Not only do dogs serve wounded veterans, police officers and firefighters, canines also serve alongside active-duty troops deployed to carry out missions abroad, and they serve here at home to fight crime and in search-and-rescue operations.

To honor the contributions of dogs that have served their country, the City of Lake Elsinore has declared March 13, 2013 as K9 Veterans Day.

“What a dog can do cannot be replaced by a human,” Lake Elsinore Mayor Bob Magee said as he made the proclamation Tuesday night during the regularly scheduled city council meeting.

He encouraged residents to recognize the day with ceremonies and celebrations, and he thanked Lake Elsinore resident CJ Stewart for bringing to the city’s attention the contribution of K9 veterans to this country. 

Stewart wanted to see the city recognize K9 veterans, and on Tuesday she was at the city council meeting to introduce several service dogs to council members. Among the canines was a 7-year-old Golden Retriever named Stanley accompanied by handler Nick Perez.

Perez sees firsthand what service dogs do for veterans. As a readjustment counselor at the Temecula Veteran’s Center, his role is to help combat veterans ease back into civilian life.

“When one comes back from a hostile area they’re not always able to put their feelings or emotions into words. A service dog … really breaks the ice for a lot of our veterans. It opens the doors to the world again,” Perez said.

But dogs too can be combat veterans.

“Today we still have military dogs serving on every continent,” Magee said.

Based in Farmington Hills, Mich., Reynolds says military working dogs have been used by the U.S. Armed Forces since World War I, and on March 13, 1942, The Quartermaster Corps of the U.S. Army began training dogs for the newly established War Dog Program, also known as the “K-9 Corps.”

Reynolds writes, “it is only fitting that we remember and honor the dog handlers and their faithful K-9 partners for their service and sacrifice during World Wars I and II, The Korean War, Vietnam War, the Persian Gulf War and many other conflicts. We also honor them for their exceptional service as Police and Secret Service K-9s, Airport, Border Patrol and Customs K-9s, FBI K-9s working to protect our Homeland Security.

“As a Nation,” Reynolds continues, “we are eternally grateful for the noble sacrifices made by our Military Working Dog Handlers, and their K-9 Partners.”

In her efforts to see March 13, 2013 recognized as K9 Veterans Day in Lake Elsinore, CJ Stewart compiled a host of links for those who would like to learn more about the role of dogs in service:

K9 Veterans Day Org. Inc., a group dedicated to the March 13th observance

http://k9vetsdayorg.webs.com/

Rhode Island discusses K9 Veterans Day
http://ripr.org/post/house-discusses-k-9-veterans-day

History of U.S. Border Patrol dogs
http://www.cbp.gov/xp/cgov/border_security/canine/history_3.xml

A Facebook page dedicated to supporting K9 Veterans Day
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Pennsylvanians-Please-Support-an-annual-K9-Veterans-Day-on-March-13/287864974595632

YouTube documentary on the contributions of dogs to this country
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=46OXftIH1pM

Contact info on Michigan’s War Dog Memorial

http://chelsea.patch.com/blog_posts/sergeant-sparks-to-be-honored-at-k-9-veterans-day-march-9-2013-550f0f19

A list of Vietnam War dogs
http://vdha.us/

The Military Channel addresses service dogs
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5tqksgs2WzY

CNN coverage of war dogs

http://www.cnn.com/2010/LIVING/02/12/war.dogs/index.html

Working dogs: Sgt Stubby and Balto
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_individual_dogs#War_dogs

Groups that brought dogs to Tuesday night’s Lake Elsinore City Council meeting:
http://bigpawscanine.com/ 
http://www.caninesupportteams.org/