Our hearts are with the people of Ukraine, who have endured an ongoing military invasion by Russian troops.
We are moved and inspired by stories of resilience from the Ukrainian people. Many of these stories involve animals: people risking their lives to protect local pets and animals, and animals serving by helping Ukrainian troops.
Like a heroic little dog that has been hard at work clearing explosives.
A viral video shared by Ukrainian authorities shows a dog named Patron who is the “mascot” of explosive experts in Chernihiv. He is specially trained to detect Russian explosives.
The video shows Patron hard at work, wearing his own protective vest, and using his sense of smell to track the location of explosive weapons.
According to the Facebook post, the dog has assisted the SES team in clearing 90 explosives since the start of the war last month.
Dogs are known for their incredible sense of smell and can be specially trained to detect explosives. People can then deactivate and render them harmless, helping to save countless lives.
It is not an exaggeration to say that this dog is making a big difference: according to NPR, since the start of the war, more than 900 civilians have been killed in Ukraine, and officials say most deaths have been caused by “explosive weapons with a wide impact area.”
Officials in Ukraine are grateful for the dog’s important work: “Thank you friend, for your tireless work!” reads the SES message.
The video has been viewed more than 175,000 times on Facebook in just two days, and many local Ukrainians have praised the dog and wished him continued safety as the war continues.
“Please keep him safe! Honor to Ukraine!” writes someone.
“God bless our boys and little four-legged helpers!” writes another.
Many thanks to this brave little dog for his hard work, saving lives in Ukraine. Keep it up, we pray for your safety!
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