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Dead military working dogs piled up like trash after contract terminated in Kuwait

BY Desiree Huitt

Eastern Securities chose the most cost effective way of dealing with the unemployed working dogs, euthanasia. It is unknown at this time exactly how the dogs were killed or even if the remaining 90 are still alive.

There are no happy stories of handlers being reunited with their working dogs in this article.

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Instead, there are only the deaths of at least 24 to 40 working dogs and the possibility of 90 additional dogs. Eastern Securities or E Sec was awarded a contract with Kuwait National Petroleum Company (KNPC) to provide explosive detection dogs for their oil rigs. When KNPC canceled the contract with Eastern Securities, they were left with 140+ dogs that no longer had a job and were costing them money to feed and house them. Instead of being responsible with the working dogs and finding them homes, Eastern Securities chose the most cost-effective way of dealing with the unemployed working dogs, euthanasia. It is unknown at this time exactly how the dogs were killed or even if the remaining 90 are still alive.

Little to nothing can be done legally, the only thing that can come from this is a warning to companies that supply working dogs to security companies like Eastern Securities. Like many overseas security contractors, Eastern Securities purchased the trained dogs from a US company called USK9 Unlimited, Inc.

According to Mike Ritland, former Navy SEAL and owner of Trikos International,

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“The US is a major supplier of working dogs due to superior K9 training and quality of dogs found in the US. Once the dogs are sold, their fate is up to their new owners. That is why it is very important to check where and who the dogs will end up with. I have denied several dog requests from celebrities, security companies, and foreign governments in the past because I know that I cannot guarantee that the animals welfare and best interest are in mind.”

In the featured image, you can see emaciated dogs. Mike Ritland, said,

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“It is not uncommon to have lean working dogs especially in a hot climate, but some of the dogs appear to be a little too lean. This does not happen overnight and could show further evidence of maltreatment and stressful living conditions.”

USK9 Unlimited, Inc., released a statement on Facebook:

“As President and CEO of USK9, due to many questions and statements regarding a Facebook post showing the massacre of dogs over in Kuwait, (a post shared on my personal Facebook page by a friend over in Kuwait), I felt obligated to post on behalf of USK9 in an effort to clear up any misunderstandings. Let me first state USK9 HAD NO PART OF SUCH AN INHUMANE ACT, if this alleged incident is in fact true, and has NOT done any business with nor been affiliated with this company “Eastern Security” for several years now.

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The original post shared on my timeline and some subsequent postings thereafter allege that someone intentionally killed multiple dogs and further blame “Eastern Security” (a security company operated in the country of Kuwait). According to these posts (and others) the alleged dog massacre occurred after “Eastern Security” allegedly loss a contract for security service in that country. Although I/we (USK9) have not made any such accusation(s), if these accusation(s) are proved to be true and accurate, USK9’s position shall be one of absolute condemnation of such a gross and vile act against defenseless animals. At USK9, we are true animal lovers and have always believed and treated each and every dog as “man’s best friend”. To see these type pictures simply makes all of us here sick to our stomachs.

For the record, many years ago a successful and respected local business man (name withheld) here in Lafayette, La. reached out to USK9 with the prospect of he and his brother (“Bill Baisey residing in Kuwait”) starting a K9 security company to service the large refineries in Kuwait, using explosive detection dogs. Subsequently, USK9 entered into a contractual agreement with “Eastern Security” to sell trained explosive detector dogs and to help set up and train K9 teams for the “Kuwait Project”. In 2008, dogs were procured and trained by USK9 and sold to “Eastern Security”. Handlers employed by “Eastern Security” were sent here to Kaplan Louisiana (USK9) for certification for the “Project Kuwait”. The handlers for the “Kuwait Project” graduated in 2009. After a very long process, the Kuwait Project was completed and “Eastern Security” began operating as a stand-alone security company providing a K9 based security service to one or more oil refineries in Kuwait.

USK9 ended up terminating the contract with “Eastern Security” shortly after it was up and running in Kuwait, due to what USK9 believed to be a breach of contract by “Eastern Security” on many issues to include but not limited to failing to make payments owed to USK9 for services rendered and other issues of conflict where one or more Kennel Master(s) and handler(s) that were employed by “Eastern Security”, began to raise questions about working hours, unfair wages, housing accommodations, delayed payroll issues etc.. USK9 was NOT aware of any abuse of animals during this time, otherwise would have reported such.

USK9 has not had any dealings with or dog sales to “Eastern Security” in a few years now, ever since USK9 decided to terminate the contract and sever all ties with “Eastern Security”, which in light of this most recent alleged event, if true, will prove to have been a very wise decision. USK9 will monitor the developments of these allegations and will defend itself vigorously on anyone attempting to defame our impeccable reputation as a world leader in K9 training solutions.

Respectfully,

Roger Abshire
President/CEO
USK9 Unlimited, Inc.”

SOFREP reached out to both Eastern Securities and USK9 Unlimited, Inc. but neither have responded yet. There has been a Facebook page created regarding this incident as the organizers of the page are trying to find vet care and homes for the 90 remaining dogs. Eastern Securities has not responded to their requests and inquiries of the remaining dogs as well.

The Facebook page dedicated to helping the dogs also released a statement from a person who claimed to have worked for E Sec. In their statement they allege that not only does E Sec treat the dogs poorly but also might be involved in human trafficking:

This is my story: I worked for this company for about 5 months in 2014 as an assistant program manager. Eastern Securities, a Kuwaiti contract company with an American owner, has killed the dogs left in their kennel upon losing the contract they had with the Kuwait National Petroleum Company. I can not get exact numbers, but the only witness that has exposed this says about 40 dogs. The owner of the company is Bill Baisey and his Program Manager is Tony Touchet. Both were aware of the murders of the dogs. The K9s were contract working dogs trained by a US company to do explosive detection at the oil drilling sites in Kuwait. The witness of this massacre is scared to come forward due to fear of being arrested in Kuwait. You see, in addition to killing these dogs, I believe Eastern Securities was also involved with human trafficking. I started to see the evidence of this when I worked there. In fact, Bill Baisey has been under investigation with his other company, Najlaa, and also with KBR for human trafficking charges. While I worked in Kuwait, many of the ES employees were not allowed to return to their home countries. Some had been away for many years. The company took their passports, held the sponsorships to their visas, and refused to let them go. If an employee went to the embassy, the company would lay a false charge or claim against them to get them arrested or “blacklisted”. Some handlers’ passports expired and they actually were thrown into a Kuwaiti jail for illegally being in the country when they finally got their passports back and tried to go home. While what happened to these dogs is sick and disgusting and inexcusable, what goes on in Kuwait regarding human trafficking is far worse. The public must understand that the employees who can testify for these dogs are all scared to death of their own fates at this moment. I started to pry into this issue while I was working there, but soon myself and the female office manager were being spied on. We were told that charges would be laid against us for bogus issues such as “having male visitors in our home” which is illegal and highly punishable for women in Kuwait. I left suddenly and quietly before I could be implicated or blacklisted or arrested. I stayed in touch with the handlers, and advised them as I could. Some have told me that a lawyer is working on this case for them. I am not sure what else can be done… As both Tony and Bill hold US passports, I would like to believe there is something the US government can do, but I am not sure what or who to contact. However, please believe… The story about the deaths of these CWD’s is true. This is the dirty, grungy side of animals for business. Even the “good” companies eventually have to sell their dogs to someone when their contracts are over, and then low-bidding companies like ES end up with the final say in their fate.

Eastern Securities wants this issue to die, however, by sharing this article hopefully they will not win anymore contracts nor will companies be willing to sell them dogs.

Image courtesy of Kuwait Times

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