CAP CITY

Dogs are often said to be man’s best friend, but with a military working dog, that saying takes on a whole new meaning. Working dogs sniff for bombs and drugs, and often provide a measure of protection for their handlers. When it’s time for them to retire, however, the highly-trained dogs are sometimes put down because they may be too aggressive or too sensitive for most civilians to handle.

That’s where Save-A-Vet comes in. The not-for-profit group based in northern Illinois works to find suitable adoptive homes for military working dogs like Nero, a former bomb-sniffing dog that worked in Iraq. Nero and Save-A-Vet volunteer Danny Scheurer were at the Illinois State Fair last week, getting out the message that working dogs should be considered veterans instead of equipment, and they still have value after they retire. Scheurer says one veteran of the war in Iraq recognized Nero because the dog once saved his life. Nero sustained a back injury during his service in Iraq, and he now serves as a mascot for Save-A-Vet, which is seeking donations of money and land to build special facilities nationwide to house retired military working dogs.

For more information, visit www.save-avet.org or call 815-349-9647.