Dog who fought al-qaeda to get animal VC
A MILITARY dog is to receive the animal equivalent of the Victoria Cross for tackling al-qaeda militants in Afghanistan as part of a special forces raid.
Kuno, a three-year-old Belgian malinois, was wounded in action during the battle last year while serving with the Special Boat Service.
Pinned down by machine-gun fire and grenades during an assault on a compound, the British troops were unable to move without taking casualties.
Without hesitation, Kuno charged through a hail of gunfire to tackle the gunman, breaking the deadlock and changing the course of the attack. The dog’s actions allowed the mission to be completed successfully.
During the assault, Kuno was wounded by bullets in both back legs and given life-saving treatment by its handler, as well as by medics in a helicopter. Part of one of its rear paws had to be amputated to prevent a lifethreatening infection.
Kuno is the first British military dog to be fitted with custom-made prosthetic limbs and, since retiring from military service, is said to be thriving in a new home in the West Country.
Now, Kuno is to become the 72nd recipient of the PDSA Dickin Medal, which was introduced by the charity’s founder Maria Dickin in 1943.
It is recognised as the highest award an animal can achieve while serving in military conflict. Previous recipients have included 34 dogs, 32 messenger pigeons who served in the Second World War, four horses and a cat.