Monumental: Military Dog Memorial in Encinitas

The Rancho Coastal Humane Society’s military working dog (MWD) memorial is the first of its kind on America's West Coast. Dedicated on April 16, 2011, the monument is to honor "all military working dogs and their handlers, past, present and future."

The memorial consists of four-foot-tall, round, plug of polished granite and includes the crests of each military branch. On top of the stone sits the sculpture of military dog Chyba.

Before her death from cancer at age 11, Chyba was an adopted German Shepherd that retired from the 95th MP Battalion, U.S. Army, in Stuttgart, Germany, and also served as a patrol-narcotics detector dog in the Iraq War for six months in 2004.

Surrounding the memorial is a flag courtyard with engraved memory bricks, which can be purchased for personal dedications.