Mar 1, 2010: Treo

[xoxoxoBruce]

This is Treo and his Dickin Medal, which is the animal equivalent of a Victoria Cross.

Nine-year-old Treo's job is to sniff out roadside bombs in Afghanistan for soldiers, and he has proved rather good at it.
In August, 2008, while working as a forward detection dog in Sangin, Treo found a "daisy chain" improvised explosive device (IED) - made of two or more explosives wired together - that had been carefully modified and concealed by the Taliban at the side of a path*.
A month later, his actions saved another platoon from guaranteed casualties, again by finding a daisy chain IED*.

* probably planted by cats.

Treo is the 63rd animal to receive the Dickin Medal - introduced in 1943 to honor the work of animals in war - and the 27th dog to receive the honor.
Since its introduction it has also been presented to 32 World War II messenger pigeons, three horses and one cat.

link

Oh, and here's a link to 8 heroic dogs in history.