Bomb Detection Dogs......herbie

[Trishm]

I heard on talkback radio yesterday that Herbie, the bomb detection dog who was killed will have to be cremated before being brought home due to our quarantine regulations.

This led me to wonder about the fate of the other dogs over there, what will happen to them when our troops return, will they have to be pts?

They do incredible work and save so many lives............. will this be their fate?

[felix]

Wow, I hope not. That would be truly terrible.

These dogs are doing amazing service and should be treated accordingly. I would like to know more about it, any idea where to find info about this.

[Staff'n'Toller]

I'm pretty sure they come back with their handlers for retirement. I doubt their handlers would allow PTS after so much work with them.

The dogs would have a 'pet passport' in regards to health etc, shouldn't be too difficult to bring them back into the country.

[rastus_froggy]

I believe they do come back. While I was on holidays at Christmas I walked through a park in Hobart dedicated to the service dogs from all the wars Australia has been involved with. There was a lot of info there on these dogs and their handlers. It was really beautiful.

[Bilbo Baggins]

I heard on talkback radio yesterday that Herbie, the bomb detection dog who was killed will have to be cremated before being brought home due to our quarantine regulations.

This led me to wonder about the fate of the other dogs over there, what will happen to them when our troops return, will they have to be pts?

They do incredible work and save so many lives............. will this be their fate?

Maybe a body could not be brought back but an alive dog can.

[Mas1981]

I heard on talkback radio yesterday that Herbie, the bomb detection dog who was killed will have to be cremated before being brought home due to our quarantine regulations.

This led me to wonder about the fate of the other dogs over there, what will happen to them when our troops return, will they have to be pts?

They do incredible work and save so many lives............. will this be their fate?

Maybe a body could not be brought back but an alive dog can.

I think this is probably the case, also they probably do have to just do some form of quarantine on arrival back here in oz.

What type of dog was Herbie?

[leighw]

Military dogs are quarantined and then repatriated. In years gone by military horses and dogs were PTS before the troops returned due to the costs of quarantine. It wasn't until after Vietnam and a number of petitions and offers to pay from dog handlers and families, that the decision was changed. The Australian War Dog Memorial is at Alexandra Headland on the Sunshine Coast.

[Lhok]

Military dogs are quarantined and then repatriated. In years gone by military horses and dogs were PTS before the troops returned due to the costs of quarantine. It wasn't until after Vietnam and a number of petitions and offers to pay from dog handlers and families, that the decision was changed. The Australian War Dog Memorial is at Alexandra Headland on the Sunshine Coast.

Not all the time, a book I read about the Vietnam dogs called "Trackers" said that the dogs they couldn't bring home were given homes with consulate staff ^_^

--Lhok

[GeorgieB]

What type of dog was Herbie?

Herbie was a border collie cross

http://www.abc.net.au/reslib/201006/r580738_3650632.jpg

Edited June 11, 2010 by Kahlua

[dasha]

Only live dogs can come back. You can't get a permit for a dead one.

Military dogs go back and forward to war areas frequently. They serve a few months overseas then return for a while then go back again later. Some of them have travelled back and forward many times.

Not sure about the rehoming options. Maybe the bomb dogs can be rehomed but eh military police dogs wouldn't be rehomed at all. They are not very social.

[mirawee]

As has been said, bringing a live dog back is competely different to bringing a dead one back. You can quarantine a live one to make sure it doesn't carry any diseases.

I had an interesting conversation with someone the other day about bringing humans back who have died overseas... have you actually considered what you/your family would do if you are in this situation? Basically you are looking at $50,000 or so to bring a body back but a fraction of that (in fact nothing but your flight!) if you cremate. It is something that everyone should discuss if you travel overseas.

[Dogsfevr]

I heard on talkback radio yesterday that Herbie, the bomb detection dog who was killed will have to be cremated before being brought home due to our quarantine regulations.

This led me to wonder about the fate of the other dogs over there, what will happen to them when our troops return, will they have to be pts?

They do incredible work and save so many lives............. will this be their fate?

Maybe a body could not be brought back but an alive dog can.

this also applies if you are flying domestically as well,you cant bring a deceased dog back unless cremated

[KatrinaM]

A friend had her son die overseas from i think meningacoccial (sp??). She had to have him cremated to bring him home as well.

[poocow]

The live dogs come and go from war areas frequently. Them and their handlers are rotated every few months.

They have to meet all the quarantine requirements prior to leaving Australia and then once they get back they get their own kennel block at Eastern Creek where they undergo their quarantine.

The case of the dog dying would be issues with import permits and disease risk etc.

Edited June 11, 2010 by poocow

[rubiton]

And the reason has been well documented why Sarbi can't come back as the others would - that she disappeared for months so they cannot be sure of what she was or wasnt exposed to and therefore needs to do 6 months quarantine in Dubai before coming back.

[shells]

Sarbi is heading home (or should already be home)

http://www.examiner.com.au/news/local/news...90.aspx?src=rss

Herbie was given a proper military service just as his handler was. The dogs have a special place amongst members of the military.

[K9Nev]

Military dogs are quarantined and then repatriated. In years gone by military horses and dogs were PTS before the troops returned due to the costs of quarantine. It wasn't until after Vietnam and a number of petitions and offers to pay from dog handlers and families, that the decision was changed. The Australian War Dog Memorial is at Alexandra Headland on the Sunshine Coast.

I have a second cousin who was a miliatry dog handler and went to the Vietnam war bringing his GSD back home. I remember as a kid watching the Anzac day march to see Wayne and his dog in the procession. I don't know what role the dog had but I am sure they came back on a Navy ship from memory???.

[Dust Angel]

These dogs are tableted and inoculated very regularly so that they can come back - i know there is a lot of information somewhere ill see if i can find it.

Here is Sarbi's gallery on the Defence site

http://www.defence.gov.au/sarbi/gallery/20100602/index.htm

Recently in our local area a return serviceman's parents have finally succeed in having there son's detection job exhumed from over in Afghanistan and brought home. There son has been devastated as he lost him whilst over there and his mum had sent some wattle and gum leaves to bury with him. Now he finally has him home - brought a tear to the eye.

Story here

[poocow]

These dogs are tableted and inoculated very regularly so that they can come back - i know there is a lot of information somewhere ill see if i can find it.

Yes as I said, they have to meet a set of import criteria before they can even leave. All the rabies injections etc that they get are for their return. They then have more tests etc on return to Eastern Creek.