Pentagon watchdog links four military working dog deaths to aging kennels and staffing gaps

A Defense Department inspector general report finds four military working dogs died between 2021 and 2023 due to aging, unsatisfactory kennel conditions and a caretaker shortage, with mold and extreme weather cited at several bases. Autopsies attributed the deaths to pneumonia, not neglect, per an Air Force official. The IG also found about 200+ dogs at Joint Base San Antonio Lackland were in non-training status and receiving far less daily physical/social activity than required due to staffing gaps. The Air Force agreed to hire more caretakers and to reduce the number of dogs in non-training status while developing a plan to upgrade kennels to meet standards; DoD operates over 2,200 working dog teams across 182 locations.