LI Nonprofit Paws Of War Strives To Help U.S. Customs And Border Protection Dog Retire

NESCONSET, NY — Milan is a dog who spent his days working for U.S. Customs and Border Protection, helping to keep harmful, illegal drugs out of the country. He is now ready for retirement, Paws of War, a Nesconset-based nonprofit announced.

The charity is raising money to make the transition to canine civilian life as smooth as possible for Milan.

"There’s no telling how many lives Milan has helped to save with all the work he has done over the years, by keeping these dangerous drugs out of the country," said Robert Misseri, co-founder of Paws of War, in a news release. "He deserves a hero's retirement and that is what we are working to help provide him with."

People can donate to Paws of War to help Milan here, if they would like to.

Milan has had a successful career, according to Paws of War. He used his keen sense of smell, combined with his expert training and passion for what he does, to help U.S. Customs locate illegal drugs being brought into the country.

His career statistics are "impressive," the nonprofit wrote: Milan has identified over 122 pounds of marijuana, over 253 pounds of cocaine, 45 pounds of ecstasy, and nearly five pounds of methamphetamines.

"All of these drugs would have otherwise made their way into the streets and into the hands of those that could be hurt or killed by them," Paws of War stated.

Now that he’s older and ready for retirement, Milan’s handler has reached out to Paws of War for assistance. The organization threw him a small retirement party and will help ensure that the expenses of caring for Milan will be covered. The charity is also aiming to find the best possible placement for him.

"Many such dogs ready for retirement have conditions that lead to expensive ongoing medical treatment," Paws of War wrote. "Paws of War immediately stepped in to conduct an assessment and get the wheels moving on finding the best possible placement for him."

The charity is seeking a home environment with a current or former K9 handler, where Milan can live out the rest of his days comfortably and "getting treated like the hero that he is."

"We will find him a permanent home where he can continue to use his amazing nose with a much more relaxed schedule," Misseri said. "This is just one of the important tasks that are part of our mission. We do this and all of our missions, with the great support of those in the community, who believe in what we are doing and want to be a part of it in some way."

According to U.S. Customs and Border Protection, canine drug detection dogs were added to border patrol in 1986, following an "alarming increase in the number of illegal alien apprehensions and narcotics seizures," Paws of War wrote. The first year, there were four canines trained to do the job, and their success led to 75 more being added within two years. Nowadays, the dogs are recognized for helping to seize large amounts of illegal drugs being smuggled over the border each year.

Paws of War also focuses on giving back to veterans in various ways. The charity has helped veterans with numerous issues, including suicide prevention, service and support dogs, companion cats and dogs, food insecurity, veterinary care, etc.