British bomb sniffing dog saves lives of soldiers

Sadie, a British Black Labrador bomb sniffing dog, saved the lives of dozens of soldiers while she was
stationed in Afghanistan.

A pressure cooker packed with TNT had been planted under sandbags on the other side of a two-foot thick concrete blast wall. The device was just yards from where a suicide car bombing had killed a German soldier outside the United Nations headquarters in Kabul.

Eight-year-old Sadie and her handler L/Cpl Karen Yardley, of the Royal Army Veterinary Corps had been called to check for secondary devices after the car bombing.

A classic terrorist tactic is to leave a second bomb.

As Sadie and her handler explored the area of the parking lot, Sadie’s tail wagged vigorously, she sniffed the air, her tail went rigid and she sat down facing the wall.

About 200 people, including British, American, German and Greek soldiers, were within range of the device. The dog handlers immediately gave the warning for everyone to leave the area. Bomb disposal experts used a robot to dismantle the device.

Sadie, who is due to retire soon, could be recommended for the Dickin Medal, the canine equivalent to the Victoria Cross It has been awarded to 60 war dogs since it was introduced in 1943 and is inscribed "For Gallantry, We also serve.”