KIRKSVILLE, MO. -- A local Veteran's Day ceremony was held at the Rieger Armory in Kirksville.
   
Retired Lieutenant Colonel Greg Dabney was the master of ceremonies but the spotlight was on a four-legged military friend.
    
Debbie Kandoll and her retired Military Working Dog Benny came from New Mexico to be the guests of honor.

Kandoll was spreading the word about adopting Military Working Dogs after they serve our country.

Benny is a certified therapy dog and Debbie takes him to see soldiers and veterans across the country.

“He (Benny) enjoys relating to them, he knows that their his people.  He spent 10 years around guys and girls in uniforms and he just gets this grin on his face and this recognition of, 'hey, we're companions, we're paisonos, we're fellow military members.'  And he administers to them, he listens to them,” said Founder of Military Working Dog Adoptions Debbie Kandoll.

Benny served ten years in the military as a narcotics detection dog.

Kandoll says the phrase 'support our troops' isn't only about the two-legged soldiers but the four-legged ones as well.

She says the canines are treated well when they're serving the country but many of them are euthanized when their service ends.

“We're encouraging the status quo of viewing these dogs as equipment to change and that their status will be elevated to that of what they are, the military veteran.  Because when they're on active duty they're a soldier.  But the day they retire, they're considered a pet,” Kandoll said.

Click here to find out more about Military Working Dog Adoptions.