Our hearts continue to be with the people of Ukraine, who have been dealing with an ongoing army invasion by Russian forces.
We’ve been relocated and inspired by stories of strength by the Ukrainian people. A lot of these stories include animals: people risking their lives to protect local animals and animals, and animals returning the favor by helping Ukrainian forces.
Like one brave little dog, that has been hard at work helping to clear explosives.
A viral video shared by the State Emergency Situation Service of Ukraine reveals the dog called Patron that is the “mascot” of explosions professionals in Chernihiv, who is specially trained to sniff out Russian explosive devices.
The video shows Patron hard at work, using his own protective vest, using his sense of smell to track the location of explosive weapons.
According to the Facebook post, the dog has helped the SES team clear 90 explosives since the start of the battle last month.
Canines are recognized for their incredible sense of smell, and they can be specifically trained to detect explosives. People can then deactivate and disarm them, helping to rescue countless lives.
It’s safe to say this dog is making a big difference: according to NPR, over 900 civilians have been eliminated in Ukraine because the start of the war, and officials say the majority of the deaths have been triggered by “explosive weapons with a wide impact area.”
Officials in Ukraine are grateful for the canine’s important work: “Thanks, buddy, for your tireless work!” the SES post reads.
The video clip has been viewed over 175,000 times on Facebook in just 2 days, and many local Ukrainians have praised the dog, wishing him continued safety as the battle wages on.
” Please keep him safe! Glory to Ukraine!” one comment reads.
” God honor our boys and little four-legged assistants!” another wrote.