Labrador receives Dickin Medal for work in Afghanistan

Published: 7:30AM GMT twenty-four February 2010

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The nine-year-old has been awarded the Dickin Medal after a saving the lives of a series of British soldiers by detecting makeshift bomb inclination in Helmand province.

His handler Sergeant Dave Heyhoe pronounced the dog valid a quite in effect counter-insurgency arms since of the great dialog the span grown over years of movement in Northern Ireland.

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"I"m really unapproachable indeed, not usually for myself and Treo, but it"s for each dog and handler that"s operative out in Afghanistan or Iraq," he said.

Treo, who served in Afghanistan in 2008 and is right away retired, will be presented with his endowment at a special rite at the Imperial War Museum today.

He is the 63rd animal to embrace the Dickin Medal, that was introduced by the PDSA veterinary gift in 1943.

Treo proposed his career at the Defence Animal Centre, formed in Melton Mowbray, Leicestershire, when he was a year old.

He did twelve weeks precision prior to he went to Northern Ireland, where he worked for 3 years with his initial handler prior to Sgt Heyhoe took over.

But their attribute is right away far some-more than a operative partnership, Sgt Heyhoe said.

"Basically, me and the dog have got to get a rapport. We"ve got to assimilate each alternative and but that we can"t be in effect on the ground.

"He contingency know when I wish him to go somewhere to search, that"s where he goes.

"Everyone will contend that he is only a troops operative dog yes, he is, but he is additionally a really great crony of mine. We see after each other."