March 13 is K9 VETERANS DAY.
This special day is when all military dogs should be honored. The United States K9 Corps was created on March 13, 1942. The guard dog is incorruptible; the police dog dependable. The human watchman might be bought; not so the dog. The soldier sentinel might fall asleep; never the dog. The battlefield runner might fail; never the dog to his last breath, he will always follow the line of duty.
Dogs already bring us such joy by being lovable and loyal. However, they bring us even more joy when they are working toward justice. From the first sentry dogs in Dogs of Defense to dogs that are trained to sniff out contraband or follow criminals, K9 dogs can do it all. Historically, K9 dogs have comprised Search and Rescue teams at Ground Zero, served as Security Dogs and more. We thank them for their service! All K9 dogs should get a Porterhouse steak and a nice big bone on March 13.
You know the expression, “There’s nothing cuter than a man or woman in uniform?” I’d like to adapt that because whoever coined that phrase was clearly talking about dogs. There are two points to back up this argument. First, dogs always look so serious and mission oriented when they are doing their jobs. Second, they get really cool work vests.
K9 dogs are impeccably trained. Don’t believe me? Some K9s are trained to bite down on the arms of criminals to keep them in place upon command. However, the dogs are not allowed to draw blood. So they know exactly how hard to bite down to hold without being violent.
In Naperville we are fortunate to have four K9 dogs. Their names are Astor, Rocco, Jill and Maximus. If you want to see pictures and information about them visit www.naperville.il.us/services/naperville-police-department/patrol-division/k9-unit.
Two quotes perfectly describe K9 Dogs and how they impact society no matter if they are military or civilian dogs:
“Dogs really are perfect soldiers. They are brave and smart; they can smell through walls, see in the dark, and eat Army rations without complaint.”
–Susan Orlean
“What counts is not necessarily the size of the dog in the fight; it is the size of the fight in the dog.”
–Dwight D. Eisenhower
Editor’s Note / The photo at top is a meaningful dog sculpture in Essex County, New Jersey, recognizing search and rescue dogs that worked with crews of first responders after Sept. 11, 2001, at the Twin Towers in New York City.
