A Belgian Malinois called Bass who came to the aid of US Marines in Afghanistan has been given the top gallantry award available for animals.
The dog ensured the success of a night-time raid on a Taliban bomb-maker hiding out in Helmand province.
Bass received the PDSA Dickin Medal, created by the UK’s largest veterinary charity, the People’s Dispensary for Sick Animals, in 1943.
Equivalent to the Victoria Cross, it acknowledges exceptional courage under fire.
Bass, who is a Belgian Malinois, served in three countries
JANET DELTUVA/ARES&EMZY PHOTOGRAPHY 2022
“Bass is an incredible animal. He made a huge impact on the battlefield and saved lives,” former Staff Sergeant Alex Schnell, his handler, said from his home in Texas during the online ceremony.
Bass, now ten and living in retirement with Schnell, can detect explosives and track human targets. He
