China to deploy dogs in combat, anti-terror operations

China has officially recognised the PLA dogs as "irreplaceable military resource," clearing the way for their deployment by the world's largest army in combat operations, anti-terror tasks and riot-control purposes.
A new regulation announced by the People's Liberation Army (PLA) defines a military dog as a "special combatant and an irreplaceable military resource."
This means the military will use them for a wider range of missions, including combat operations, a top official was quoted as saying by the official PLA Daily.
Currently the dogs are being used for guard duties, patrols and search-and-rescue missions, the official said.
He said they are stationed mainly at military airports, naval ports, missile bases, ammunition warehouses and border inspection stations.

The PLA is the largest army in the world, with an active force of more than 2.3 million.

The regulation also covers breeding, feeding and epidemic prevention for military dogs, improved management of the animals and their retirement from service, the daily reported.
Dogs, along with their handlers, will be awarded military merits and may face penalties if they fail certain tasks, it said.
A report in another official daily Global Times said that China's military dogs could be used in films after retirement.
Due to a lack of clear responsibilities, the dogs are poorly managed and do not meet the standards of a developing army, said the reports.

Zou Xingkui, a senior captain and commander of the main PLA navy dog training base in Hebei province, said the new regulation encourages combat units to deploy military dogs.
"Such dogs have been employed extensively by combat troops in the United States armed forces," Zou was quoted as saying by state-run China Daily.
"It will supplement the PLA's combat capability significantly, as dogs are much more agile and responsive than human soldiers," he said.
The PLA marine corps is expected to be the first combat force in the navy to use dogs for combat duties, said Zou.
Before the regulation was issued, several PLA combat units had used dogs in battlefield training.

A dog training regiment under the Nanjing Military Command has trained dogs to clear mines, help with detonation tasks and to carry out reconnaissance missions.
The PLA set up its first military dog training base in 1949 in Beijing.