Elon Musk’s DOGE has some new “victims” in the crosshairs: dogs from K-9 dog units. Employees of TSA, the agency in charge of airport security, were informed about new guidelines promoted by the Department of Government Efficiency. Musk’s team suspended requests for charges that included veterinary visits, kennels and food for the dogs.
Inexplicably, all of this occurred just hours after the White House celebrated the work of the K-9 units, with Trump himself posting a photo in the company of a dog that was part of the team in question.
The animals, over the years, have proven to be very useful for the TSA’s various operations. They have been deployed inside airports and beyond to sniff out possible bombs and to ward off other types of smuggling.
“Dogs are not only man’s best friend, offering companionship and loyalty, but also guardians, instinctively protecting their loved ones with unwavering devotion,” the White House had announced earlier in the week on the occasion of K-9 Veterans Day. ““On National K-9 Veterans Day, the First Lady and I join our Nation in honoring the dedicated service of those working dogs serving alongside our military and law enforcement to defend our citizens and our Homeland”, President Trump himself had added.
The animals in question were first deployed by military forces in 1942. In the ensuing decades, more than 30,000 dogs have served. Currently, more than 1,600 are in operation. The dogs are specially trained to detect explosives, drugs and other contraband and participate in search and rescue operations.
Many also serve on the front lines, in combat zones and on the U.S. border. Earlier in the week, Trump recalled several heroic animals who have gone missing over the years, including Hurricane, who captured an intruder in the White House; Cairo, a member of Navy SEAL Team Six who participated in the raid against Osama bin Laden; Rex, a bomb-sniffing dog who worked in Iraq; and Conan, who took part in military operations against ISIS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi.
However, after last week’s celebrations, the dog unit came under the scrutiny of DOGE and Elon Musk, intent on reducing federal spending, and as a result the agency froze funding for the teams in question, effective immediately.
