1200 Hero Dogs Destroyed

A Serving member of the SAS has called for better treatment of combat dogs after figures showed almost 1,200 have been put down by the military.

- Isobel Dickinson

The special forces soldier told the Daily Star Sunday that more should be done to prevent the dogs of war being destroyed once they have outlived their military usefulness.

The soldier – a sergeant and veteran of Iraq and Afghanistan – is one of several trained dog handlers serving in the SAS and SBS.

The animals have been used to hunt down terrorists and retrieve injured troops from the battlefield. Usually selected from malinois – a breed of Belgian shepherd – they accompany troops on most missions, and have been responsible for saving the lives of British servicemen.