Shooting Dogs In Iraq

In the United States, we teach children to be kind to animals at an early age. 63% of Americans have a pet, and we spend over $40 billion a year on our pets. We despise animal abuse, and consider it a virtue to defend the helpless from harm. That is why I find it so surprising that the US military regulations offer no clauses regarding animal cruelty. In General Order 1A, it is very detailed in forbidding raffles, gambling, drinking, porn, etc. Yet, not a word about animal cruelty? Instead, the military is advocating a lethal rabies control program in many areas of Iraq and Afghanistan, in which soldiers are ordered to shoot any animal that comes onto their base, or in close proximity to them. This is despite proof that rabies vaccination would inhibit this disease far more effectively than the slaughter of stray dogs.

This practice is horrendous from an animal welfare standpoint, but what about our soldiers? As Americans, these soldiers are most likely animal lovers and have been taught the virtues of being kind to animals from an early age. Clinical psychologist, Dr. Teresa Whitehurst had this to say,

Instead, I’d like to simply ask this question: What is the effect on young Americans who are given the odious task of marching through towns in Iraq and Afghanistan, gun in hand, shooting any and every dog "suspected" of carrying rabies?

Could it be that he was injured psychologically and morally by the sheer brutality of what he was ordered to do? Is he still in a state of shock that he, a dog lover from early childhood, could roam through city streets, shooting dead every stray dog, young or old, cute or limping, in his path? Have his eyes been opened to the flippant carelessness and disregard for life of his commanders, who consider the word "suspected" a synonym for "proven"? When Boy Kills Dog

Do you remember David Motari, the marine with that YouTube video where he threw a puppy off a cliff to kill it? This is what he wrote on his blog before it was shut down.

What, you expect me to carry a stray sick dog from patrol 10+ miles back to camp with me. Did you know that we're not supposed to have dogs? Did you know that there isn't medicine available for animals out there? So what the f*** do you want me to do with it. It was going to die a slow and horrible death.

Sorry you guys saw that, but it wasn't supposed to ever be shown. Usually what happens is we shoot them. I was being "creative" that day and decided to throw the dog instead. If I could take it back, I would. Either way, I did the dog a favor. Sorry if you can't understand that. source

It is extremely likely that David Motari is lying about the dog being sick. His statements about doing the dog a favor are disgusting, and that video showed that he took pleasure in hurting this poor puppy. There is no excuse for Motari's actions, but you can see that he might have believed he was justified in his acts, due to the fact that the US military is already condoning the shooting of dogs. In his mind, perhaps he thought there wasn't much difference between dying from being thrown or being shot.

In response to the marine throwing the puppy, a military spokesperson acknowledged that the video could tarnish the image of America’s servicemen and women, and stated

There have been numerous stories of Marines adopting pets and bringing them home from Iraq or helping to arrange life-saving medical care for Iraqi children. Those are the stories that exemplify what we stand for and how most Marines behave. source

So what the military spokesperson is saying, is that Marines adopting pets and bringing them home from Iraq exemplify what we stand for and how most Marines behave. Yet, adopting a pet and bringing it home from Iraq is a direct violation of General Order 1A. Hey wait a minute, I'm confused...

The majority of our military overseas love animals and try to help them, despite GO 1A prohibiting it. If caught helping animals, a soldier may receive military discipline for violating GO 1A. For example, Specialist Gwen Beberg pulling a puppy out of a burning trash can, would be a violation. Yet, in my mind what she did was what any decent human being would do. Please sign the petition to Change Military Policy About Animals.