From Duty to Dog Beds: Hero K9 Retires After Sniffing Out 400+ Pounds of Illegal Drugs

Paws of War Honors Retiring Customs Dog Milan and Seeks Loving Home for His Next Chapter!

 NESCONSET, N.Y. – (July  2025) –Every old dog deserves to spend his days sleeping in, getting treats, and being taken on nice walks. When they are a retiring working dog they deserve it even a more so. Milan, a hero dog who spent his days working for U.S. Customs and Border Protection helping to keep harmful illegal drugs out of the country, is ready for retirement, and Paws of War is doing all they can to make it a smooth transition for him.

“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. “He deserves a hero’s retirement and that is what we are working to help provide him with.”

Milan has had a successful career,

using his keen sense of smell, combined with his expert training and passion for what he does, to help customs locate illegal drugs being brought into the country. His career statistics are impressive, having 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.

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, as well as works 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 immediately stepped in to conduct an assessment and get the wheels moving on finding the best possible placement for him. They are seeking a home environment with a current or former K9 handler, where he 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,” added Misseri. “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. The first year, there were four canines trained to do the job, and their success led to 75 more being added within two years. Today, 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. They have helped veterans with numerous issues, including suicide prevention, service and support dogs, companion cats and dogs, food insecurity, veterinary care, etc.Paws of War has a large loyal following of supporters and looks forward to working with new corporate sponsors to support these life-saving programs. To donate or help support Milan visit https://pawsofwar.org/?form=MilanRetirement or to help support their other missions, visit its site at http://pawsofwar.org.

About Paws of War

Paws of War is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) charitable organization that assists military members and their pets, rescues and trains dogs to be service dogs, and provides companion animals to veterans and first responders. To learn more about Paws of War and the programs provided or donate, visit its site at http://pawsofwar.org.