RAF sniffer dog awarded animal equivalent of Victoria Cross for Afghanistan efforts
Hertz was hailed as a ‘one-off’ for his life-saving heroics.
A retired sniffer dog hailed as a ‘one off’ for his pioneering work in Afghanistan has been awarded the animal equivalent of the Victoria Cross.
Hertz was the first and so far the only dog in the British military to sniff out ‘personal electronic devices’, like mobile phones, SIM cards and GPS devices.
The German shorthaired pointer became the 74th animal to receive the People’s Dispensary for Sick Animals (PDSA) Dickin Medal – the highest recognition any animal can receive in military combat – at a ceremony in London on Tuesday.
His trainer and handler in Afghanistan, warrant officer Jonathan Tanner, said: ‘In terms of British military working dogs, he is a one-off.
‘He’s very much a unique animal.’
Mr Tanner paid tribute to Hertz as ‘by far the best’ dog he’s worked with, and said that the pair became ‘best friends’.
He explained that the pair were targeting mobile devices being used to ‘pass messages and data and details to people on the outside that might pose a threat to those on the inside of camp’.
The Warrant Officer spent around two months training Hertz to sniff out such devices, before the dog went on to find more than 100 items.
‘It was a capability that in the British military had never been tried before,’ Mr Tanner added.
‘It was something that we’d never even considered before.’
The technique turned out to be ‘very successful’, according to the Warrant Officer, who worked in Camp Bastion and locations throughout Helmand and Kabul over a period of 13 months.
It is thought that Hertz’ detective work saved many lives.
Born in Croatia, the dog joined the RAF as a one-year-old puppy and was chosen for the special assignment after demonstrating exceptional skill in drug detecting.
‘There were many times that one of us would be having a bad day not, enjoying ourselves as much as we possibly could, and I would take him away, put him back in his kennel at night and just sit there and have a chat like you do with your mates at the end of the day,’ Mr Tanner recalled.
‘He wasn’t very good at giving advice, but he said he certainly listened and I can tell you that he never gave me bad advice.’
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PDSA director general Jan McLoughlin said: ‘Hertz is a truly remarkable animal hero and a trailblazer in his field.
‘His exceptional skills undoubtedly protected troops from the ever-evolving advances in digital intelligence.
‘His actions changed the course of countless missions, saving the lives of military personnel and civilians.
‘For this bravery and devotion to duty, we are honoured to welcome him as the latest recipient of the PDSA Dickin Medal.’
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