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Let Our Troops Care For Animals!

28,751 signatures toward our 50,000 Goal

57.50% Complete

Sponsor: The Veterans Site

Our service members put themselves at risk by caring for local animals because it is against Military General Order 1-A.

Our service members put themselves at risk by caring for local animals because it is against Military General Order 1-A.

Many U.S. troops get the opportunity to meet animals during their service. Stray dogs are a common sight around large cities, especially those around the world where the men and women of the U.S. military are often stationed.

A soldier may take in a stray puppy or kitten that shows up near their base. Without anyone else to help, the animal may already be weak, dehydrated or malnourished1.

It's possible that small gestures of care may go unseen by a commanding officer for a short while. But U.S. troops are not allowed to care for these animals, no matter the need. Such action would violate Military General Order 1-A2.

Military General Order 1-A prohibits soldiers from helping or bonding with local animals. Every time they feed, pet, or adopt an animal they are breaking the rules. And when these rules are enforced, the animals are killed or forced back out on the streets to fend for themselves3.

The military has been marketing this policy as a method of reducing rabies4, warning service members, "Do not keep pets or mascots while deployed."

The truth is, these animals are a great assistance to our heroes, helping them deal with life outside the U.S. in more ways than one. Bonding with an animal can help reduce stress and anxiety, which is why service dogs are used to help veterans mitigate the symptoms of Post-Traumatic Stress (PTS) and Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) that all-too-often arise when they return home from the battlefield5.

SPCA International established "Operation Baghdad Pups" during the Iraq War to reunite animals with the service members who bonded with them. The program has so far helped hundreds of service members reunite with their animal companions back home6.

We need to to continue this program, let our troops care for animals and keep their pets safe from harm.

Add your name to this petition and tell the Department of Defense to change General Order 1-A.

More on this issue:

  1. Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (S.P.C.A.) International (2022), "Why Is Caring For Animals Prohibited?"
  2. Tommy R. Franks, General, U.S. Army, Commander in Chief, (19 December 2000), "GENERAL ORDER NUMBER 1A (GO-1A) ∗."
  3. Adam Weinstein, Mother Jones (18 June 2010), "Iraq's Slumdog Massacre: One Million Dogs Face Death."
  4. Kiara Scatliffe, U.S. Army (29 August 2014), "Preventing rabies during deployment."
  5. SPCA International (2022), "Operation Baghdad Pups: Worldwide."
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The Petition:

To the Secretary of Defense,

Animals are a great assistance to our service members, helping them deal with life outside the U.S. in more ways than one.

Bonding with an animal can help reducing stress and anxiety, which is why service dogs are used to help veterans mitigate the symptoms of Post-Traumatic Stress (PTS) and Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) that all-too-often arise when they return home from the battlefield.

However, while deployed, service members are prohibited from caring for animals, even those that show up near military bases in great need. The consequences of doing so all too often result in an animal being sent to its death on violent streets, and a service member facing the trauma of loss.

Our men and women in uniform deserve the right to care for injured or struggling stray animals when research shows such activities can alleviate the intense pressure service members experience in combat.

I ask you to change Military General Order 1-A and allow service members to care for and keep animals while deployed.

Sincerely,

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Signatures: