Vietnam Scout Dog

The Role of the Vietnam Scouts Dog

Vietnam Scout dogs , accompanying their handlers, would lift off by helicopter for combat missions into enemy territory. Leading infantry patrols, they crossed log bridges and waded through muddy streams. Their keen senses of sight, smell, and hearing, coupled with their natural animals instincts, intelligence, and incredible loyalty enabled them to successfully detect snipers, booby traps, ambushes, underground tunnel complexes, and enemy weapons and supplies hidden in the jungle.

Many of the Vietnam war dogs were trained as sentry dogs, guarding the air fields, ammunition areas, supply depots, motor pools, and vulnerable base camp facilities, Devotedly keeping guard at the perimeter of base encampments, the dogs provided the soldiers with early silent warning of imminent or potential danger.

Some of the dogs were trained as trackers who, working within five-man teams, were quietly inserted deep into enemy territory to perform dangerous reconnaissance missions gathering intelligence. They also searched for downed pilots and injured or dead troops missing in the jungle.

The Vietnam war dogs were justly credited for reducing American casualties on the battlefields and saving countless lives over the course of the Vietnam ground war. They were so effective that the enemy had placed a price tag on their heads in an effort to hunt them down.

When the Vietnam War ended in 1975 and U.S. forces pulled out, the majority of these heroic war dogs were left behind.

The public outcry for the war dogs left behind in Vietnam was carried to congressional leaders in Washington DC by the late Dr. William Putney, Veterinarian and WWII Commander of the 1st Marine War Dog Platoon that helped to liberate Guam from enemy occupation.

Dr. Putney’s efforts resulted in President Bill Clinton signing the War Dog Adoption Law (Public Law 106-446) on November 6, 2000.

The U.S. Department of Defense can now officially retire military working dogs, allowing the dog’s military handler to have “first right of refusal” before the dog is placed for adoption with anyone else.