Bomb-sniffing dogs sent from the United States to its ally Jordan are dying from poor conditions, according to an investigation from the State Department’s inspector general.
Investigators found that at least 10 canines sent to Jordan between 2008 and 2016 died from medical issues “while others were living in unhealthy conditions,” including kennels that were not properly maintained.
Photos included in the report showed dogs so skinny their ribs were protruding from their sides. Some had nails that were severely overgrown and ticks that had become engorged.
“Several canines were observed to have hip dysplasia and obvious arthritis, and have lost the will to work,” the report said.
The State Department has sent specially trained dogs to allies for more than 20 years as part of an anti-terrorism assistance program. The investigation, which began in July 2017 after a hotline complaint, concluded that the State Department had spent “millions of dollars” on training the dogs and sending them abroad, but failed to “ensure the health and welfare of the dogs after deployment.”
“This threatens the dogs’ ability to properly perform detection work and also creates risks to their well-being,” the report said.
The canines continued to be sent to Jordan even after a U.S. staff visited Jordan for a welfare check in April 2016.
The State Department could not provide investigators details on dogs it had sent to countries other than Jordan, which currently has 61 active bomb-sniffing dogs.
The report, released last week, made five recommendations, including frequent welfare checks, developing a plan to retire the dogs, and having written agreements between the U.S. and its partner nations. Investigators also recommended the State Department stop sending canines to Jordan until it could ensure the dogs’ health and welfare, but the department did not agree.
The Embassy of Jordan said an investigation into the conditions is underway.
“Jordan takes the welfare of its security working dogs very seriously. An investigation has begun, including external assessors,” Dana Zureikat Daoud, the director of the information bureau at the embassy, said in a statement to the Washington Examiner.
