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PDSA
Kuno has completed two deployments to Afghanistan
A military dog that charged through enemy fire to save the lives of British soldiers fighting al-Qaeda in Afghanistan will receive the animal equivalent of the Victory Cross.
During a raid, a Belgian Malinois named Kuno accosted a gunman and was hit by bullets in both hind legs.
After losing one of his legs as a result, he became the first UK military dog to get custom made prosthetics.
The four-year-old will receive the Dickin Medal from the PDSA veterinary charity.
Now retired and relocated, Kuno, who was trained to detect explosives, weapons and incapacitate enemies, will receive the medal of valor at a virtual ceremony in November.
Kuno and his handler had been deployed to support the elite Special Boat Service (SBS) forces during a nightly raid against al-Qaeda extremists in Afghanistan last year when they were attacked.
The forces, immobilized by grenade and machine gun fire from an insurgent, were unable to advance.
Kuno was sent to break through the impasse. Without hesitation, he charged through a hail of bullets while wearing night vision goggles to attack the gunman, knocking him to the ground, and parrying his attack.
Kuno eventually changed the course of the mission and helped the forces complete it successfully.
But during the assault, he was shot in both hind legs and treated by his assistant and medics in the back of a helicopter as they headed to safety.
He suffered serious injuries, including a bullet that narrowly escaped a main artery, and required several life-saving operations before he could be flown back to the UK for further treatment.
Veterinarians had to amputate part of one of its hind legs to prevent a life-threatening infection from occurring.
After returning to the UK on an RAF plane, he underwent extensive reconstructive surgery.
Like the wounded soldiers, Kuno began a long rehabilitation program to restore the function of his nerves and muscles, and is said to have especially enjoyed his sessions on the hydrotherapy tape.
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PDSA
Kuno became the UK’s first military dog to be fitted with custom-made prosthetics
Within months, they fitted him with a custom-made prosthesis to replace his missing leg and a brace to help his injured limb.
Kuno, who was on his second deployment when he was injured, is the UK’s first military dog to be equipped with such devices, allowing him to run and jump unhindered, giving him many more happy years in retirement.
Defense Secretary Ben Wallace said: “Without Kuno, the course of this operation could have been very different and it is clear that he saved the lives of British personnel that day.
“This particular raid was one of the most important achievements against al Qaeda in several years.
“Kuno’s story reminds us not only of the dedicated service of our soldiers and military dogs, but also of the great care that the UK Armed Forces give to the animals that serve alongside them.”
PDSA CEO Jan McLoughlin said Kuno’s “courage and devotion to duty” made him a “fully deserving” recipient of the Dickin Medal.
The prestigious award was first presented by the charity’s founder, Maria Dickin CBE, in 1943. It is the highest award any animal can earn while serving in a military conflict.
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Kuno will become the 72nd recipient of the medal, and previous recipients include 34 dogs, 32 WWII homing pigeons, four horses and a cat.
Among them is Mali, an eight-year-old Belgian Malinois, who was wounded by a grenade while protecting UK soldiers during a mission in Afghanistan in 2012.
Another military dog, Conan, was injured during a US raid that killed Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, leader of the Islamic State group.
And a French police dog who was killed in a raid after the Paris attacks, which killed 130 people, was also honored with the award.
