Working Dogs: Federal Agencies Need to Better Address Health and Welfare
Federal agencies use about 5,000 working dogs to detect explosives and narcotics, among other things. They also provide about a thousand dogs to foreign countries to support law enforcement and antiterrorism efforts.
Federal agencies addressed many of the 18 issues we identified as important to working dog health and welfare, such as exercise and routine veterinary care. But about half of the federally-managed and contractor-managed agency programs don't address abuse or neglect. One contractor-managed program addressed none of the identified issues.
Our recommendations would help all agencies ensure the humane treatment of working dogs.
Transportation security inspector team screening air cargo
What GAO Found
As of February 2022, about 5,100 working dogs served the federal government in 40 federally managed programs within eight departments and three independent agencies. In addition, approximately 400 working dogs served the federal government in 24 contractor-managed programs within eight departments and two independent agencies. Officials from federally and contractor-managed working dog programs most commonly reported using working dogs to detect explosives (see fig.) or narcotics, among other things.
Working Dog Searching for Explosives at a U.S. Airport, and the 18 Issues That GAO Identified as Important to Working Dog Health and Welfare
Federally and contractor-managed working dog programs address the health and welfare of dogs in policies and contract-related documents. Some of these programs' policies address all 18 issues GAO identified as important to the health and welfare of working dogs (see fig.), but most do not. For example, about half of the federally managed programs do not address abuse and neglect or requirements for rest and duration of on-duty working time in their policies. Similarly, about half of the contractor-managed programs do not address abuse and neglect or how to handle working dog retirement or euthanasia decisions in their contract-related documents. One contractor-managed program did not address any of the 18 important issues GAO identified.
Three Department of State programs were providing more than 1,000 working dogs to foreign partners, primarily for explosives and narcotics detection, as of February 2022. All three State Department programs have standards to help ensure that foreign partners are maintaining the health and welfare of these dogs. One of the three programs addressed all 18 health and welfare issues, while the other two did not. Addressing all 18 of the issues GAO identified for federally managed programs, future contracts, and standards for foreign partners, as appropriate, can help ensure that federal agencies adequately provide for the health and welfare of their working dogs. This, in turn, would help ensure the dogs' humane treatment and optimal performance.
Why GAO Did This Study
GAO and some agencies' Offices of Inspector General have previously identified concerns with the management of federal working dog programs. These concerns include past mistreatment of working dogs that the U.S. government provided to foreign governments for antiterrorism assistance.
Senate Report 116-236 contains a provision for GAO to review the use of working dogs across the federal government. This report examines (1) the number of working dogs used by federal agencies, and their roles; (2) the extent to which federal agencies' policies and contract-related documents address the health and welfare of working dogs they use; and (3) the number of working dogs the U.S. government provides to foreign partners, and the standards to protect the health and welfare of these dogs.
GAO identified 18 issues important to the health and welfare of working dogs, analyzed working dog program documents to determine whether they addressed these issues, and interviewed agency officials.
Recommendations
GAO is making 19 recommendations to agencies to ensure that their policies and future contracts address, as appropriate, all 18 health and welfare issues. Of the 16 agencies that reviewed this report, 11 concurred with the recommendations; four did not comment on them. The Department of Energy partially concurred with its two recommendations, indicating that it would evaluate the applicability of the issues. GAO continues to believe that addressing all 18 issues is important.
Recommendations for Executive Action
| Agency Affected | Recommendation | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Department of Justice | The Attorney General should direct all of the Department of Justice's agencies with federally managed working dog programs to revise their policies, as necessary, to ensure that they address all of the 18 issues GAO identified as important to the health and welfare of working dogs. (Recommendation 1) |
When we confirm what actions the agency has taken in response to this recommendation, we will provide updated information.
|
| National Railroad Passenger Corporation | The Chief Executive Officer of Amtrak should direct the Amtrak Police to revise its policies, as necessary, to ensure that they address all of the 18 issues GAO identified as important to the health and welfare of working dogs. (Recommendation 2) |
When we confirm what actions the agency has taken in response to this recommendation, we will provide updated information.
|
| Department of Agriculture | The Secretary of Agriculture should direct all of the Department of Agriculture's agencies with federally managed working dog programs to revise their policies, as necessary, to ensure that they address all of the 18 issues GAO identified as important to the health and welfare of working dogs. (Recommendation 3) |
When we confirm what actions the agency has taken in response to this recommendation, we will provide updated information.
|
| Department of Defense | The Secretary of Defense should, through the Secretary of the Air Force as the executive agent for the Military Working Dog Program, direct all of the Department of Defense's agencies with federally managed working dog programs to revise their policies, as necessary, to ensure that they address all of the 18 issues GAO identified as important to the health and welfare of working dogs. (Recommendation 4) |
When we confirm what actions the agency has taken in response to this recommendation, we will provide updated information.
|
| Department of Energy | The Secretary of Energy should direct all of the Department of Energy's agencies with federally managed working dog programs to revise their policies, as necessary, to ensure that they address all of the 18 issues GAO identified as important to the health and welfare of working dogs. (Recommendation 5) |
When we confirm what actions the agency has taken in response to this recommendation, we will provide updated information.
|
| Department of Health and Human Services | The Secretary of Health and Human Services should direct the National Institute of Health Police to revise their policies, as necessary, to ensure that they address all of the 18 issues GAO identified as important to the health and welfare of working dogs. (Recommendation 6) |
When we confirm what actions the agency has taken in response to this recommendation, we will provide updated information.
|
| Department of Homeland Security | The Secretary of Homeland Security should direct all of the Department of Homeland Security's agencies with federally managed working dog programs to revise their policies, as necessary, to ensure that they address all of the 18 issues GAO identified as important to the health and welfare of working dogs. (Recommendation 7) |
When we confirm what actions the agency has taken in response to this recommendation, we will provide updated information.
|
| Department of the Interior | The Secretary of the Interior should direct all of the Department of the Interior's agencies with federally managed working dog programs to revise their policies, as necessary, to ensure that they address all of the 18 issues GAO identified as important to the health and welfare of working dogs. (Recommendation 8) |
When we confirm what actions the agency has taken in response to this recommendation, we will provide updated information.
|
| Tennessee Valley Authority | The Chief Executive Officer of the Tennessee Valley Authority should direct the Tennessee Valley Authority Police to revise the agency's policies, as necessary, to ensure that they address all of the 18 issues GAO identified as important to the health and welfare of working dogs. (Recommendation 9) |
When we confirm what actions the agency has taken in response to this recommendation, we will provide updated information.
|
| Department of Justice | The Attorney General should direct all of the Department of Justice's agencies with contractor-managed working dog programs to ensure that all 18 issues GAO identified as important to the health and welfare of working dogs are addressed, as appropriate, in future contracts. (Recommendation 10) |
When we confirm what actions the agency has taken in response to this recommendation, we will provide updated information.
|
| Department of Commerce | The Secretary of Commerce should direct all of the Department of Commerce's agencies with contractor-managed working dog programs to ensure that all 18 issues GAO identified as important to the health and welfare of working dogs are addressed, as appropriate, in future contracts. (Recommendation 11) |
When we confirm what actions the agency has taken in response to this recommendation, we will provide updated information.
|
| Department of Defense | The Secretary of Defense should, through the Secretary of the Air Force as the executive agent for the Military Working Dog Program, direct all of the Department of Defense's agencies with contractor-managed working dog programs to ensure that all 18 issues GAO identified as important to the health and welfare of working dogs are addressed, as appropriate, in future contracts. (Recommendation 12) |
When we confirm what actions the agency has taken in response to this recommendation, we will provide updated information.
|
| Department of Energy | The Secretary of Energy should direct all of the Department of Energy's agencies with contractor-managed working dog programs to ensure that all 18 issues GAO identified as important to the health and welfare of working dogs are addressed, as appropriate, in future contracts. (Recommendation 13) |
When we confirm what actions the agency has taken in response to this recommendation, we will provide updated information.
|
| Department of Homeland Security | The Secretary of Homeland Security should direct all of the Department of Homeland Security's agencies with contractor-managed working dog programs to ensure that all 18 issues GAO identified as important to the health and welfare of working dogs are addressed, as appropriate, in future contracts. (Recommendation 14) |
When we confirm what actions the agency has taken in response to this recommendation, we will provide updated information.
|
| Department of the Interior | The Secretary of the Interior should direct all of the Department of the Interior's agencies with contractor-managed working dog programs to ensure that all 18 issues GAO identified as important to the health and welfare of working dogs are addressed, as appropriate, in future contracts. (Recommendation 15) |
When we confirm what actions the agency has taken in response to this recommendation, we will provide updated information.
|
| Smithsonian Institution | The Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution should direct the Smithsonian Institution's Office of Protective Services to ensure that all 18 issues GAO identified as important to the health and welfare of working dogs are addressed, as appropriate, in future contracts. (Recommendation 16) |
When we confirm what actions the agency has taken in response to this recommendation, we will provide updated information.
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| Department of State | The Secretary of State should direct all of the Department of State's bureaus with contractor-managed working dog programs to ensure that all 18 issues GAO identified as important to the health and welfare of working dogs are addressed, as appropriate, in future contracts. (Recommendation 17) |
When we confirm what actions the agency has taken in response to this recommendation, we will provide updated information.
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| Department of the Treasury | The Secretary of the Treasury should direct all of the Department of the Treasury's agencies with contractor-managed working dog programs to ensure that all 18 issues GAO identified as important to the health and welfare of working dogs are addressed, as appropriate, in future contracts. (Recommendation 18) |
When we confirm what actions the agency has taken in response to this recommendation, we will provide updated information.
|
| Department of State | The Secretary of State should direct the Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs and the Bureau of Political and Military Affairs to ensure that the standards for working dogs provided to foreign partners address, as appropriate, all 18 issues GAO identified as important to the health and welfare of working dogs. (Recommendation 19) |
When we confirm what actions the agency has taken in response to this recommendation, we will provide updated information.
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