Military dogs like Conan, who took part in a recent U.S. special operations raid that led to the death of Islamic State founder Abu Bakr Baghdadi in Syria, get headlines and a White House visit.
But other U.S. working dogs are deployed overseas as well to sniff for drugs, ferret out explosives, guard civilians and do other important tasks. Many are under the control of local handlers.
A new report by the State Department’s inspector general says some of those dogs are dying from neglect, heat stroke, poisoning and disease. The report did not say how many dogs had died, but it appeared to be about a dozen.
State Department officials, who oversee the dog program through the Diplomatic Security and Counterterrorism bureaus, said Monday they were alarmed by the report and were taking measures to ensure better conditions and the safety of the animals.
Read the full story on LATimes.com.
