Thanks! This needs to be stopped!
Their classification as equipment vice personnel probably has more to do with appropriations and consistency with parallel Congressional and military budgeting processes.
Congress votes on the explicit numbers of personnel and equipment shown in respective tables of organization and tables of equipment.
It is much easier to budget for supporting requirements of equipment than personnel. The remaining issues regarding the treatment of the animals can be handled by agency orders.
At present we spend at least about $85k per military working dog kennel space in new construction. If classified as personnel, numerous other facilities could be justified for the animals while likely reducing the total number of humans in the armed forces.
I had heard of this shortly after enlisting. I didn’t know the impact until after talking to some dog handlers that served in VN. They were wearing T shirts honoring their dogs and broke down telling their experiences. I did too.