Veteran service dogs looking for new homes: prices start at 900 tenge

Tengrinews.kz — Service dogs that likely worked with Kazakhstan’s Border Service have been put up for auction. Their prices are around 1,000 tenge per animal.
Seven service dogs have been listed on the electronic auction portal. One of them is Mateo, a German Shepherd being offered for 935 tenge in a descending-price auction.
The dog is 10 years old and belongs to the KNB Border Service Department for Pavlodar Region.
Mateo, the dog put up for auction. Photo from e-qazyna.kz
Another six dogs are on the balance sheet of the KNB Border Service Department for Zhambyl Region and have also been put up for auction. Their names are Mike, Milo, Mig, Mel, Mansur and Mais. They are East European Shepherds and German Shepherds.
The dogs put up for auction. Photo from e-qazyna.kz
The starting price for all six dogs is 11,552 tenge. The ascending-price auction will take place on August 18.
The animals are being sold by Kazspecexport, an enterprise under the Ministry of Defense.
How the sale of service dogs was previously explained
During previous sales, Kazspecexport explained that service dogs are considered state property, meaning dog handlers cannot simply take them home after the animals retire from service.
The dogs put up for auction are already 9–10 years old and are no longer able to work. According to the company, without the possibility of transferring them to new owners, they would have to be euthanized.
The low auction prices are explained by the fact that the dogs have already completed their service and are considered to have exhausted their working capacity. Their value is officially assessed before they are put up for sale.
Kazspecexport emphasized that the main goal is to find owners with whom the dogs can spend the rest of their lives. Most often, the animals are bought by their former handlers and veterinarians.
The company added that border guards themselves had asked in advance about the auction dates because they wanted to take their service dogs home.

“KNB border guards themselves kept calling us and asking, ‘When will the auction be held?’ These dogs are like their own children to them. Now they have bought them and are happy that they can finally take them home. We wanted the dogs to stay alive. Imagine if 50 or 60 animals were simply euthanized. There is no other way to keep them free of charge, because new, younger dogs come in to replace them, while the older ones are removed from service,” the company said.

The dogs cannot simply be transferred to employees free of charge, as that would amount to the unlawful appropriation of state property. Therefore, an auction is the only legal way for handlers to take the animals home.