‘They saved dozens of lives’

Charity Working Paws Australia is lending a hand to retired military working dogs.

Two veterans in Perth have teamed up to make sure military working dogs enjoy a healthy and happy retirement. Ryan Wilson and Jason Kelly founded their charity Working Paws Australia to provide financial support to handlers when their retired dogs require health care or emergency medical treatment. 

Working dogs serve across the ADF: with the Army’s Military Police, Combat Engineer Regiments and Special Operations units, as well as the Air Force’s Security Forces Squadrons. They work side-by-side their handlers during missions, exercises and training. You’ll find them sniffing for armament and bombs, securing air bases, tracking targets and clearing buildings. 

It’s not an easy life, but for Ryan, their value cannot be overstated. 

Ryan served for 19 years with the Army, initially as a Reservist and then 13 years full-time with the Special Air Services Regiment (SASR), completing multiple tours in Afghanistan. 

In 2013, Ryan was on patrol with an SASR handler when their dog, Fax, charged into a nearby creek bed. Fax had detected a Taliban insurgent lying in ambush and began attacking immediately, suffering multiple gunshot wounds as a result. The noise alerted Ryan and his partner to the danger and allowed them to engage the insurgent. 

Sadly, Fax died because of his wounds, but Ryan has no doubt that the dog’s actions saved their lives. 

‘No doubt, if Fax wasn’t there that day and didn’t do his job properly, we would have walked straight into [the Taliban] and one of us, if not both of us, would have been killed,’ says Ryan. ‘That’s just one story. Everyone had a story about how a dog saved their life. They would have saved dozens of lives over in Afghanistan.’ 

Following the incident, Ryan dedicated the rest of his career to working with military dogs. He became a handler himself and was given Keni, a combat assault dog. Keni participated in exercises and training across Australia and internationally, often fast roping from Blackhawk helicopters and parachuting from aircraft. 

It was during his time as a handler that Ryan met Jason, an Air Force veteran and dog handler with a 12-year career training and developing new working dogs. 

Keni was retired due to spinal injuries caused by his intense service in 2017, and Ryan adopted him. It’s standard practice for handlers to take in their retired dogs, however, they receive no further support from the ADF. Like Keni, many of the dogs have service-related injuries or health issues, such as arthritis, and treatments and surgeries can cost thousands of dollars. 

‘We didn’t think it was quite right that these injuries were caused due to their service and then when they retire, they become the sole financial burden of the veteran,’ Ryan says. 

This is where Working Paws Australia seeks to help. Handlers can register their retired military working dog with the charity and donations are used to cover the cost of any treatment. Ryan and Jason are also working hard to establish partnerships with veterinary clinics and animal health organisations to access free or subsidised treatment and vaccinations. 

While it’s the dogs receiving medical care, Ryan emphasised Working Paws Australia is just as much about supporting their veteran handlers.

‘If they have to make the call that they can’t pay for a dog’s surgery because they don’t have the money, or have to pay for their children, which is totally understandable, then that has a mental impact on them, because they feel like they are letting down their mate,’ Ryan says.

‘We are helping the veteran by removing the financial burden and mental stress that comes with taking care of the dogs in retirement.’ 

Ryan’s dog Keni is 14 years old now, so they have traded swims at the beach for movie nights at home together. 

Today, Working Paws Australia supports more than 40 dogs across Australia. Ryan and Jason hope that one day every retired military working dog will be registered with the charity and receiving the care and support they’ve earned through their service. 

Working Paws Australia has released a 2025 charity calendar, which features the photos and stories of the retired working dogs it supports. If you are interested in donating or learning more, visit: www.workingpawsaustralia.com.

Images: 

Ryan Wilson (right) and Jason Kelly with Keni

Keni in her service days

Australian Army special operations soldiers and military working dog Kuga prepare for patrol in Afghanistan. Kuga was the first Australian dog to be awarded the Dickin Medal, colloquially referred to as the ‘Victoria Cross for Animals’. (Photo: Defence)