The Internet loves a viral story about a dog who didn’t make it through government or police training programs, because it means the dog refused to become a total narc. This actually isn’t a rare problem; lots of dogs aren’t suited to service, but they still need homes.
According to Insider, there are a number of adoption agencies that specialize in dogs who never made it all the way through their schooling. Before you romanticize them as renegades too much, know that many dogs are trained for services that have nothing to do with sniffing out drugs or aiding the CIA.
But, yes, there is an adoption service run by the TSA for pups who did “not meet the TSA Canine Training Center criteria for government work”.
The TSA has an adoption application, a set of home requirements, and they warn that some of these dogs may be “highly active and in most cases, untrained and not house broken.” Insider adds that you would turn to this program only if you’re especially interested in German Shorthaired Pointers, Labrador retrievers, German shepherds, and Belgian Malinois dogs, as only certain types of dogs are even tapped for this kind of training. This might not be a scenario that suits every household, so apply with caution.
Also consider that this is not the way to get a trained working dog on the cheap. Some of the dogs did pass their training, had a career, and now their watch is ended. Guide Dogs for instance, need homes for retired and re-classified dogs. The idea being they can live out the rest of their days in a “caring and loving household”.
ASDOG in NSW is committed to placing puppies who didn’t meet the high standard required to be a working class dog, in homes that can help the poor pup adjust to a more quiet and simple lifestyle.
Places like Seeing Eye Dogs Australia and Pet Rescue also have ex-assistance dogs up for adoption on their respective sites.
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