K-9 Veterans Day is celebrated this Wednesday, March 13. On this day, K-9 breeders and handlers honor the service of their furry companions. K-9s serve vital roles in the military and law enforcement. They get embedded in border patrol and customs, airports, the Coast Guard, the FBI, the police, and even the Secret Service. More important perhaps to BVA members, especially those who have had a guide dog, this special day also recognizes other service dogs that help people with disabilities and support animals for those with mental health issues. Service dogs often risk their health and lives to accomplish their missions. It is only appropriate that their efforts are celebrated at least once a year. 

Joe White, a Vietnam War veteran from Jacksonville, Florida, was the founder of K-9 Veterans Day. White was a dog handler who saw firsthand how valiantly K-9s served in the conflict and was rightly disturbed by the euthanasia (now abolished) of working dogs at the end of their military service. To help raise awareness and honor the sacrifices of military working dogs, he came up with the idea of a holiday commemorating them.

The Greeks and Romans used the earliest military working dogs, favoring the monstrous Cane Corso. The Corso served as a guard dog due to its fearsome appearance. The Persians utilized leaner, sleeker breeds like the Saluki — the ancestor of the Greyhound — for hunting wild game.

Mongolians had canine sentries in their armies. These massive dogs were ancestors of the modern-day Tibetan Mastiff. Legend has it that Genghis Khan led 50,000 of his war hounds to Western Europe, where they devoured the enemy in an unstoppable march. This account shows the importance of the martial role dogs occupied in ancient times while BVA members today can more than attest to the blessing of having a guide dog.