Decisions to euthanise any animal in military service are only taken by a veterinarian officer after all possible treatment avenues have been exhausted and where it is considered to be the most humane option for the animal. The only other scenario where an animal would be euthanised is where it is considered to pose a risk to public safety.

The numbers of horses and dogs euthanised by the Department in each month during 2013 and until 31 October 2014 with reasons are provided in the attached tables.

Decisions to euthanise any animal in military service are only taken by a veterinarian officer after all possible treatment avenues have been exhausted and where it is considered to be the most humane option for the animal. The only other scenario where an animal would be euthanised is where it is considered to pose a risk to public safety.

The tables show the number of military working dogs that have been euthanised during 2012-13 and 2013-14, and the reasons for doing so:

It is Directorate of Army Veterinary Remount Services policy that all classifications of military working dogs, including counter-improvised explosive device (C-IED) dogs, that fall below the minimum operational standards, are returned to the Canine Training Squadron at the Defence Animal Centre where they are given a detailed health and employment evaluation by qualified and experienced dog trainers and veterinary officers.

For the majority, the evaluation is followed by a period of focused restorative training prior to being issued back to the Front Line Command or a new Defence user. For a small number this will not be an option and, in the case of dogs purchased to meet the C-IED Urgent Operational Requirement, an independent evaluation team will confirm that they are no longer able to remain within the service and re-homing is to be explored.

The amount of money raised from the sale of military working dogs that are no longer in service or have failed training over the last five years is shown in the following table:

Money from the sale of military working dogs is re-invested back into the Defence Animal Centre's animal procurement budget to contribute towards purchase costs of the next generation of military working animals.

Any requests to re-home a specific military working animal when they retire from service are appended to the animal's service record.

A dog may have many handlers during their service career, and more than one may request to re-home it on retirement. The dog is normally offered to the individual who made the first request, dependent upon the individual and the dog's circumstances, but the welfare of the animal is always our over-riding concern.

Applicants wishing to re-home military working dogs are vetted by interview to determine suitability and a judgment is made by the Ministry of Defence's Procurement and Re-homing Section as to the appropriateness of the individual.

When a suitable dog is identified, all interested parties are invited to come and meet the dog with family and other pets, if applicable.

Each new owner is required to complete a ‘contract sale of dog’ which states that they must abide by the Animal Welfare Act 2006 and are not to compromise the Five Freedoms which are fully stated in the contract.

Information on the number of military working dogs that have been sold in 2012 and in 2013 to date, and how many have been sold to their handlers, is shown in the following table:

Military working dogs and their handlers provide a valuable range of specialist roles world wide. When they reach the end of their military service life, it is the Department's policy to re-home all suitable military working dogs, often with someone closely associated with the dog while it was serving. Members of the public can also apply to re-home retired military working dogs and there are currently around 150 people waiting for a suitable dog to become available.

There are currently 1,110 military working dogs in service within the Ministry of Defence. The number of dogs re-homed between January 2010 and 7 October 2013 is as follows:

It is deeply distressing for all concerned if a dog has to be put down, however this decision is only taken by a veterinarian officer after all other possible avenues have been exhausted and only ever when it is the most humane option for the dog or where there is a considered risk to public safety.

There is no legislative requirement for a legal framework to control the number of military working dogs that are put down, and there are no plans to implement one.

Information on the number of military working dogs that have been put down since 2010, and the reasons for doing so is provided in the following tables:

Military working dogs and their handlers provide a valuable range of specialist roles world wide. When they reach the end of their military service life, it is the Department's policy to re-home all suitable military working dogs, often with someone closely associated with the dog while it was serving. Members of the public can also apply to re-home retired military working dogs and there are currently around 150 people waiting for a suitable dog to become available.

There are currently 1,110 military working dogs in service within the Ministry of Defence. The number of dogs re-homed between January 2010 and 7 October 2013 is as follows:

It is deeply distressing for all concerned if a dog has to be put down, however this decision is only taken by a veterinarian officer after all other possible avenues have been exhausted and only ever when it is the most humane option for the dog or where there is a considered risk to public safety.

There is no legislative requirement for a legal framework to control the number of military working dogs that are put down, and there are no plans to implement one.

Information on the number of military working dogs that have been put down since 2010, and the reasons for doing so is provided in the following tables:

Military working dogs and their handlers provide a valuable range of specialist roles world wide. When they reach the end of their military service life, it is the Department's policy to re-home all suitable military working dogs, often with someone closely associated with the dog while it was serving. Members of the public can also apply to re-home retired military working dogs and there are currently around 150 people waiting for a suitable dog to become available.

There are currently 1,110 military working dogs in service within the Ministry of Defence. The number of dogs re-homed between January 2010 and 7 October 2013 is as follows:

It is deeply distressing for all concerned if a dog has to be put down, however this decision is only taken by a veterinarian officer after all other possible avenues have been exhausted and only ever when it is the most humane option for the dog or where there is a considered risk to public safety.

There is no legislative requirement for a legal framework to control the number of military working dogs that are put down, and there are no plans to implement one.

Information on the number of military working dogs that have been put down since 2010, and the reasons for doing so is provided in the following tables:

Military working dogs and their handlers provide a valuable range of specialist roles world wide. When they reach the end of their military service life, it is the Department's policy to re-home all suitable military working dogs, often with someone closely associated with the dog while it was serving. Members of the public can also apply to re-home retired military working dogs and there are currently around 150 people waiting for a suitable dog to become available.

There are currently 1,110 military working dogs in service within the Ministry of Defence. The number of dogs re-homed between January 2010 and 7 October 2013 is as follows:

It is deeply distressing for all concerned if a dog has to be put down, however this decision is only taken by a veterinarian officer after all other possible avenues have been exhausted and only ever when it is the most humane option for the dog or where there is a considered risk to public safety.

There is no legislative requirement for a legal framework to control the number of military working dogs that are put down, and there are no plans to implement one.

Information on the number of military working dogs that have been put down since 2010, and the reasons for doing so is provided in the following tables:

Military working dogs and their handlers provide a valuable range of specialist roles world wide. When they reach the end of their military service life, it is the Department's policy to re-home all suitable military working dogs, often with someone closely associated with the dog while it was serving. Members of the public can also apply to re-home retired military working dogs and there are currently around 150 people waiting for a suitable dog to become available.

There are currently 1,110 military working dogs in service within the Ministry of Defence. The number of dogs re-homed between January 2010 and 7 October 2013 is as follows:

It is deeply distressing for all concerned if a dog has to be put down, however this decision is only taken by a veterinarian officer after all other possible avenues have been exhausted and only ever when it is the most humane option for the dog or where there is a considered risk to public safety.

There is no legislative requirement for a legal framework to control the number of military working dogs that are put down, and there are no plans to implement one.

Information on the number of military working dogs that have been put down since 2010, and the reasons for doing so is provided in the following tables:

Military working dogs and their handlers provide a valuable range of specialist roles world wide. When they reach the end of their military service life, it is the Department's policy to re-home all suitable military working dogs, often with someone closely associated with the dog while it was serving. Members of the public can also apply to re-home retired military working dogs and there are currently around 150 people waiting for a suitable dog to become available.

There are currently 1,110 military working dogs in service within the Ministry of Defence. The number of dogs re-homed between January 2010 and 7 October 2013 is as follows:

It is deeply distressing for all concerned if a dog has to be put down, however this decision is only taken by a veterinarian officer after all other possible avenues have been exhausted and only ever when it is the most humane option for the dog or where there is a considered risk to public safety.

There is no legislative requirement for a legal framework to control the number of military working dogs that are put down, and there are no plans to implement one.

Information on the number of military working dogs that have been put down since 2010, and the reasons for doing so is provided in the following tables:

Military working dogs and their handlers provide a valuable range of specialist roles world wide. When they reach the end of their military service life, it is the Department's policy to re-home all suitable military working dogs, often with someone closely associated with the dog while it was serving. Members of the public can also apply to re-home retired military working dogs and there are currently around 150 people waiting for a suitable dog to become available.

There are currently 1,110 military working dogs in service within the Ministry of Defence. The number of dogs re-homed between January 2010 and 7 October 2013 is as follows:

It is deeply distressing for all concerned if a dog has to be put down, however this decision is only taken by a veterinarian officer after all other possible avenues have been exhausted and only ever when it is the most humane option for the dog or where there is a considered risk to public safety.

There is no legislative requirement for a legal framework to control the number of military working dogs that are put down, and there are no plans to implement one.

Information on the number of military working dogs that have been put down since 2010, and the reasons for doing so is provided in the following tables: