It's been happening in just about every modern country since quarantine regulations came in.
I know of an occasion at the end of WW2 where Australian troops tried to smuggle the regimental mascot (a cat) back into Australia. The captain of the military vessel found out & stopped the ship, searched it, couldn't find the animal & but then refused to continue until it was produced to be killed. The cat was produced & killed. There's a similar story of Horrie the Wog Dog who was successfully smuggled back in, then later discovered by government officials who came to kill it. That animal survived because the owner gave them a different dog, which was killed in Horrie's place.
Particularly with military animals, they're substantially more likely than most to go into regions where all sorts of bizarre biological infections can occur & accidental contagions can absolutely cripple ecosystems. There are extremely sound reasons to be exceptionally cautious with animals that have been rolling around a warzone getting coated in who-knows-what biological & chemical substances, rather than being someone's house pet who's getting regular vet checkups in another 1st world country.
I don't think it's very nice, I think it demonstrates a poor attitude towards other living creatures, but it's not as simple as a case of "congress can't be bothered" and it is certainly not senseless.
I know of an occasion at the end of WW2 where Australian troops tried to smuggle the regimental mascot (a cat) back into Australia. The captain of the military vessel found out & stopped the ship, searched it, couldn't find the animal & but then refused to continue until it was produced to be killed. The cat was produced & killed. There's a similar story of Horrie the Wog Dog who was successfully smuggled back in, then later discovered by government officials who came to kill it. That animal survived because the owner gave them a different dog, which was killed in Horrie's place.
Particularly with military animals, they're substantially more likely than most to go into regions where all sorts of bizarre biological infections can occur & accidental contagions can absolutely cripple ecosystems. There are extremely sound reasons to be exceptionally cautious with animals that have been rolling around a warzone getting coated in who-knows-what biological & chemical substances, rather than being someone's house pet who's getting regular vet checkups in another 1st world country.
I don't think it's very nice, I think it demonstrates a poor attitude towards other living creatures, but it's not as simple as a case of "congress can't be bothered" and it is certainly not senseless.