Requirements for Long Term Care Plan for a Letter of Request with 
Working Dog Animal Requirements

To ensure the ethical and humane treatment of working dogs, requires careful planning and consideration. A Foreign Military Sales (FMS) Purchaser’s request for working dogs must include a detailed supplemental long-term care and sustainment plan which will be evaluated against the USG’s standards of care for working dogs.

Applicable guidance will include but is not limited to:

• The current versions of Department of Defense Directive (DoDD) 5200.31E: DoD Military Working Dog (MWD) Program and the applicable current Military Department (MILDEP) guidance:
  • Marine Corps Military Working Dog Manual, Marine Corp Order (MCO) 5585.5
  • Office of the Chief of Naval Operations Instruction (OPNAVINST) 5585.2C: Department of the Navy Military Working Dog Program
  • Department of the Air Force Instruction (DAFI) 31-121: Military Working Dog Program
  • Military Working Dog Program: Army Regulation (AR) 190-12)

The Purchaser’s supplemental long-term care and sustainment plan must elaborate on the following minimum key planning considerations:

• Housing/kenneling facilities. Working dogs must have appropriate living conditions and housing facilities that meet their physical and psychological needs. The facilities must be clean, comfortable with adequate space, bedding, provide protection from extreme weather conditions and encourage regular exercise, socialization, and mental stimulation. The housing facilities must also maintain physical security and controlled access with substantially the same degree of security protection the United States provides. Specific requirements for storage of the canines must be agreed upon by the USG prior to delivery of the animals. The standards will at least address the following elements:
  • Continuous intrusion detection and electronic or human surveillance, day and night. Coverage provides immediate response to any attempted unauthorized intrusion. The facility will maintain the capability to render immediate attention to an animal in physical distress and seek immediate veterinary medical assistance if required. The facility will maintain continuous ability to feed, water, and care for the animals.
  • Lighting/Fencing. Doors and locking hardware should be consistent with the structural security requirements for buildings (as outlined in the MILDEPs current instructions and guidance). Keys must be readily available in case of an emergency.
  • Confirmation that drug and/or explosives training aids will not be stored in the same facilities.
  • New Facility construction. Designs for any new facilities will be consistent with Department of Defense approved design manuals and reviewed by the U.S. Army Corp of Engineers (USACE), Naval Facilities Engineering Systems Command (NAVFAC), or Air Force Civil Engineering Center (AFCEC) for compliance with DoD regulations and standards.
  • Controlled Access. The Purchaser shall outline procedures to establish and control a roster of all personnel who are authorized access to the animals. The access roster will be kept to a minimum number of personnel in order to complete their duties.
• Comprehensive Training Program. In addition to any requesting training, the Purchaser will outline any additional or planned training events or exercises designed to strengthen the bond between handlers and dogs and maintain the animal’s specialized training skills.
• Handler training, education and certification. The Purchaser shall outline the educational requirements for the handlers to ensure they are trained in dog behavior, health, and welfare to enhance their understanding of the needs and requirements of working dogs. The Purchaser should also elaborate on plans to provide ongoing support, training, and resources to handlers so they may provide the best possible care and treatment for the working dogs in their care.
• Concept of operation and deployment considerations. The proposed concept of operations must account for appropriate transportation, acclimatization, and rest periods during deployments and provide any necessary protective equipment to mitigate the risk of injury to the working dogs during planned work or deployment.
• Schedule of planned use, rest, and recovery periods. Regular rest and recovery periods for any working dog must be accounted for in the proposed duty schedule. Adequate downtime allows for physical and mental recuperation, reducing the risk of fatigue, stress, and injuries to the animal.
• Nutritional considerations. The Purchaser will outline plans to provide access to high quality food to meet the nutritional needs of the working dogs, taking into account the level of activity based upon the concept of operations and schedules of planned used. Fresh water will be provided at all times for working dogs confined in kennels or other facilities.
• Adequate healthcare and veterinary support. The Purchaser most outline plans to provide regular veterinary care, including routine check-ups, vaccinations, and preventive treatments for parasites. The care plan must outline the established protocols for immediate medical attention and emergency veterinary care when needed as well as access to specialized veterinary services for injuries or other health conditions.
• General welfare/monitoring visits. To support and monitor the health and well-being of the working dogs, the Purchaser will confirm they will submit to at a minimum annual monitoring health and welfare checks by a designated USG representative (e.g. the Security Cooperation Office (SCO), Implementing Agency (IA), program office personnel, or a designated alternate). The annual welfare check will be to ensure appropriate physical conditions, internal controls, and health and safety measures remain in place where the animals are store and employed. This unique monitoring requirement is separate from any of the requirements for routine End Use Monitoring (EUM) and the associated temporary duty travel costs for these annual welfare checks must be included in the case manpower travel data sheet as a direct case cost. Veterinary health care records and accountability documentation maintained by the purchaser must be retained for at least three-years and will be made available for review upon U.S. Government request.
• Retirement and post-service placement. The FMS purchaser must specify their intent and plans for post-service placement and retirement of the working dogs. The FMS purchaser must specify if they intend to apply for a change in end use and a third- party transfer from the partner government to a non-state or private entity to enable adoption (see Section C8.7.4. Third Party Transfer Requests Government-to-Non-States or Private Entities). Six months prior to planned retirement (based on the estimated animal’s anticipated useful life) the Purchaser must obtain approval from the Department of State and meet U.S. Military Working Dog standards, if a third-party transfer government to non-state or private entities as outline in Section C8.7.4. to enable adoption by an international organization or an approved handler within the partner country.
• Ongoing sustainment budget. The Purchaser must confirm the amount and availability of funds for the ongoing sustainment, healthcare, training, and general welfare of the working dogs based on the estimated anticipated useful life of the animals.

By incorporating these planning considerations into a comprehensive long-term care and sustainment plan, the FMS Purchaser will outline their commitment to promoting the ethical and humane treatment of any working dogs, ensuring physical and psychological well-being throughout the service life and beyond for the animals.