DOGS' LIFE: Whiteman getting $4.2 million dog kennel

Jul 7, 2008, 11:39 AM

By BRYANNA LINDBLOM

Staff Sgt. Kevin Hemme, left, and Tech Sgt. Frank Torres put on a military working dog demonstration for ROTC cadets. (Photo submitted to digitalburg.com)

WARRENSBURG, Mo. -- The fiscal year 2009 national defense authorization bill included $139 million for projects at Fort Leonard Wood and Whiteman Air Force Base. Among that $139 million is $4.2 million set aside for the building and equipment of a new security force dog kennel and animal clinic at Whiteman.

MWD Eddy will have a new kennel at Whiteman Air Force Base in the near future. (Photo submitted to digitalburg.com)

The kennel will house the 12 authorized military working dogs, giving each of them a 12 x 8-foot living space. The building will be climate controlled and have storage areas for training equipment, such as bite suits and wraps. Also included are a veterinary room, a conference room and offices.

Although ground has not been broken on the new facility, and there is no set date on when it will be completed, Whiteman’s Tech. Sgt. Jonathan Sarabia said it is ready to be started.

"Everything is in place and we’re ready to go,” Sarabia said. “We’re just waiting for them to come to us and say ‘It’s ready, let’s put it into motion.’ The design plans and everything were completed last year.”

Sarabia said they have “grown out of” the old 1950s facility and re-modeling just is not going to cut it.

The new kennel will replace this one and will be built and maintained for $4.2 million, making Eddy and his friends some of the happiest dogs in Johnson County. (Photo submitted to digitalburg.com)

“To re-model the facility we’re currently in to current code standards and bring it up to today’s requirements, it would be more than 70 percent of the total cost [of the new facility], so to build new made more sense in the long run,” Sarabia said.

Sarabia said inspections on the building have failed because of insect infestation, ceiling leaks and shock hazards.

Other problems for the current kennel are sewage system backups that flood the kennel, standing water around the perimeter that limits training and improper door seals that cannot keep out water and other animals.

“It’s not unusual to find frogs and whatever, we’ve found snakes back there in the back with the dogs,” Sarabia said.

The military working dogs have multiple duties, including protecting resources at the Air Force Base and responding to bomb threats.

“I had a dog out yesterday working for candidate Obama,” Sarabia said. “So we’re very busy. Along with that, we deploy around the world, the Middle East and everywhere else, supporting the current operations going on.”

Eddy is clearly excited to see his new home at Whiteman Air Force Base. (Photo submitted to digitalburg.com)

Capt. Joshua James said two of the biggest benefits the kennel will bring are ensured health and welfare of the dogs and dog handlers and enhanced training.

“The dogs are such a vital resource to security,” James said. “They’re around the world because they’re rare, they’re unique at what they can do.”

Sarabia agreed that the working dog’s health is important.

“Their quality of life will improve, which as you know, as long as your quality of life is good, you go to work and you perform day-to-day better,” he said.