Mali, a Belgian Malinois, has been awarded the “animal Victoria Cross” for detecting explosives during an assault on a Taliban position in Afghanistan. The Dickin medal, which is awarded by the PDSA charity, acknowledges Mali’s courage for carrying on with his job, under direct fire, after being hurt by grenades.
His special forces handler also received a gallantry award, while previous medal winners include horses, cats and pigeons. Oh God – stop! I don’t know whether to burst into tears, or write a feelgood script for a Disney animation.
Some might say that it’s odd to give animals medals (so they can brag about their heroics to their military dog mates down the boozer?), but there’s something to be said for it.
While I don’t like the idea of animals being put in harm’s way, at least this highlights just how important they are to the military, as they are to others, such as the police – playing key roles and saving lives.
In a wider way, it’s just special to see an animal being shown such deep respect, which isn’t always the case. So, well done, Mali, and let’s hope that they chucked a bone in, too.