Heroes Who Protect and Serve
We dog owners know how special our furry friends are, but it’s the working dogs that we owe so much to in our everyday lives.
These dogs are our protectors and our rescuers. They put themselves on the line for us every single day of their working lives, whether they are detecting bombs in war zones, sniffing out drugs at our borders, facing down dangerous criminals alongside their police handlers or rescuing us when we get into trouble on land and sea.
When it comes to war, often it’s paws on the ground that save the day. Loveable and loyal, these dogs are highly skilled ninja warriors, trained by the best to serve alongside them in all branches of the armed forces. Complex training techniques are designed to utilise the dogs’ natural gifts for focus and aggression to their advantage. German Shepherds and Labradors can detect weapons, bombs, gases and drugs more accurately than any equipment.
Police dogs, or K-9s, are trained specifically to assist police in the line of duty. Police dogs protect their handlers. They can chase down and hold criminal suspects who try to run.
Patriotic Pets
Military heroes come in all shapes and sizes, and whilst some support on the battlefield, others play key roles as assistance dogs for veterans and first responders with disabilities. From guard duties to laying telegraph wires and sniffing out explosives, dogs have played an invaluable role in British military history.
Medals of Valour Awarded to Dogs
The PDSA Dicken Medal was introduced in 1943 during World War 2 and is the equivalent of the Victoria Cross. It celebrates ‘the relentless, the resolute, the fearless and the diligent actions performed by animals in times of great adversity.’
To date, the Medal has been awarded 74 times since 1943, plus one Honorary Medal that was awarded in 2014. The recipients comprise 37 dogs, 32 pigeons, 4 horses and 1 cat!
Pawsome War Heroes
Bing, an Alsatian and Collie cross, was dropped into France as a ‘paradog’ during the D-Day Landings of June 6th, 1944. For distinguished service in locating enemy troops, he was the first dog to receive the PDSA Dickin Medal.
Kuno, a Belgian Shepherd Malinois, received the PDSA Dickin Medal after tackling Al Qaeda insurgents and being wounded in action while heroically saving the lives of British Forces fighting Al Qaeda in 2019.
Mali was a UK Special Boat Service Belgian Malinois dog who was deployed in Afghanistan in 2012. During one mission, Mali saved the lives of his unit many times by alerting them to locations of enemy soldiers, and he also found the safest routes through the booby-trapped building ensuring no men were injured by mines or IEDs. Mali was awarded his Medal for ‘tireless bravery and devotion to duty during an operation in Afghanistan with the British Military.
Another recipient of the Medal was Sasha, a Labrador who located 15 bombs and ammunition caches in Afghanistan before being killed with her handler Lance Corporal Kenneth Rowe in July 2008.
An unnamed Belgian Malinois Sheepdog saved six patrolling SAS soldiers from a Jihadi attack in 2018. He is yet to receive his Dicken Medal due to still being in active service.
Today the canine recruits of the 1st Military Working Dog Regiment continue to detect explosives, protect troops and track insurgents. They put their lives on the line to keep us safe and we salute them.