In war, many soldiers find themselves in dangerous jobs. But it's not only humans who are soldiers. Since the very first wars, humans have used animals on the battlefield.
Sniffer dogs are used by the military to smell bombs. They protect people by finding bombs before the bomb explodes. They must be patient and search every part of the area in which they are working.
Puppies are selected at a young age to be trained. Training starts at just a few weeks old. The calm puppies are selected. Not many dogs pass the training. If they do, they will spend their life saving people's lives.
Dogs aren't the only animals with good noses. Some rats can be used to sniff bombs. Rats are used because they are smart and light. That means that they don't set off the bomb when they walk on it.
Rats are used in countries that were at war. These countries have bombs in the ground. In Cambodia, there are up to 6 million bombs in the ground. A rat named Magawa is a famous rat. He found 67 bombs during his career. How many lives do you think he saved?
Horses also played an important role in many wars. They are strong, hard-working animals. They helped carry soldiers and equipment. In the last hundred years, more than 8 million horses have died in wars.
The Dickin Medal is given to animals who have been brave in war. The Dickin Medal has been given out 64 times. During World War II, the Dickin Medal was given out 54 times.
32 medals were given to pigeons. Pigeons worked hard during World War I and II. Pigeons were used to send messages. In World War II, more than 200,000 pigeons were used.
Kuno the dog received the medal in 2020. He worked in Afghanistan. He saved the life of his handler and other soldiers. One night, the British soldiers were trapped by the enemy. They sent Kuno to stop the attack.
He ran through the bullets and tackled the enemy to the ground. He was wearing night-vision goggles to see in the dark. Kuno was shot twice. He got life-saving surgery. Then, he was flown back to the UK to retire.
In London, there is a memorial. It remembers the animals who have died in wars. The memorial says "They had no choice." What do you think this means?
Lots of working dogs need a home after working. They lived a difficult life. They should be looked after until the end. If you adopt a working dog, they get to spend their retirement in a loving home. They are loyal to humans. We should show them the same respect.