Recently I cam across a link of dogs who made a big difference in wars, especially in a very heroic way. I had heard about Sergeant Stubby in World War I, but the others were somewhat unknown, at least to me. As a veterinarian I find these kinds of stories of animal heroes particularly compelling. We often think of animals as merely pets, often forgetting that they can be heroes in their own right. How many times have we heard of dogs or even cats waking owners during a house fire? Or pets protecting their owner from attacks by other animals? I remember seeing this video a couple of years ago and being surprised at the cat going after the dog.
It takes a special kind of animal to be protective of its people or even other animals, just like it takes a special kind of human to step in and defend others in the threat of danger or violence. I'm glad that the military doesn't forget to recognize how dogs have helped save lives and are as much heroes as their human companions. I think it's important that all of us also remember these animals.
