Bomb-Sniffing Canines Sent To Jordan By US Are Dying Due To Negligence

Bomb-sniffing Canines, which were sent to Jordan from the U.S. as a friendly gesture, are falling ill and dying in an indiscriminate manner followed by days of ill-treatment and negligence, a federal investigation reported.

The inspectors of the State Department had run a year-long evaluation and the results deduced from the study revealed that at least 10 such dogs in Jordan died within the period of 2008 and 2016 after suffering from medical problems. Worse, those who are surviving are also kept in ‘unhealthy conditions’ such as scanty kennels, poor sanitation, and relentless exploitation, CNN reported.

The report published photos last week in which the dogs seemed as thin as a rake with ribs protruding from their sides. Their nails were overgrown and the ears were infested with menacing ticks. There weren’t even any dog bowls in some facilities and the handlers simply flung food towards them to feed them.

The dogs were sent as a token of assistance by the U.S. to Jordan in the anti-terrorism program. The U.S. has been sending specially trained dogs but the State Department Officials failed to meet their health and welfare standards, the report which was launched after a hotline complaint about the dogs’ treatment added.

The report further elucidated that the dogs are bearing the brunt of the State Department’s incompetence and lack of concrete policies. The investigators failed to obtain detailed information about the dogs living in other partner countries besides Jordan. It is also said that often there aren’t any written agreements with the recipient countries outlining the maintenance of the dogs.

According to what a Jordanian Official told CNN, an investigation into the dogs’ welfare supervised by external assessors was going on. He said, “Jordan takes the welfare of its security working dogs very seriously."

The first dog, that fell prey to the unpardonable negligence in Jordan was Zoe, a 2-year-old Belgian Malinois. She died a “terrible death” due to a massive stroke in the year 2017 after she was denied proper care, the report added.

The saddest part was that when the U.S. canine training staff visited Jordan for a welfare check upon being alarmed about the maltreatment of the dogs, they spoke about the high death rate in a written report. They held a lack of medical care and insufficient facilities accountable for the dogs’ reluctance for work. The program, however, continued to be funded and more dogs were subsequently sent to Jordan despite the 2016 finding and recommendations.