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Obama signs bill allowing working military dogs to retire in U.S.

The Air Force is training military dogs to sniff out explosives and drugs and to also bite on command for deployment purposes. Staff Sergeant Chad Bunda works with his two-year-old German Shepard "Bastas" at Hill Air Force Base on Wednesday, July 1, 2015. (Briana Scroggins/Standard-Examiner via AP)

Credit: Briana Scroggins

Credit: Briana Scroggins

The Air Force is training military dogs to sniff out explosives and drugs and to also bite on command for deployment purposes. Staff Sergeant Chad Bunda works with his two-year-old German Shepard "Bastas" at Hill Air Force Base on Wednesday, July 1, 2015. (Briana Scroggins/Standard-Examiner via AP)
By Cox Media Group National Content Desk
Dec 5, 2015

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Part of the 2016 defense bill signed by President Obama last week provides funds to bring American military dogs to the United States to retire.

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Under the new law, handlers will have the first opportunity to adopt the dogs one they are retired.

The bi-partisan Military Working Dogs Act of 2015 was introduced by U.S. Rep. Frank LoBiondo (R-N.J.) and Senator Claire McCaskill (D-Mo.).

The Defense Department estimates there are more than 2,000 working dogs in various military branches worldwide. Until now, dogs could only retire in the United States if service members paid for their travel and other related costs.

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