UK army dog with record of finding most bombs dies of broken in Afghanistan
March 3rd, 2011 - 6:53 pm ICT by ANILondon, Mar.3 (ANI): A British Army dog that held the record for finding the most bombs and weapons in Afghanistan has died of a broken heart shortly after his handler was killed in Afghanistan.
Lance Corporal Liam Tasker, of the Royal Army Veterinary Corps and Theo, a 22-month-old springer spaniel cross, were killed as they came under small arm fire in the Nahr-e Saraj district in Helmand Province in Afghanistan.
Lance Corporal Tasker, who was from Scotland, was shot dead and the dog Theo died from a seizure at Camp Bastion, The Daily Telegraph reports.
Theo, who acted as the “front man” of the patrol suffered a broken heart due to his dedication to Lance Corporal Tasker.
Theo, had been on his first six-month tour of duty in Afghanistan with the Theatre Military Working Dog Support Unit, based at Camp Bastion.
His tour was extended by a month after he sniffed out 14 weapons and improvised explosive devices in his first five months.
Tasker initially joined the army in 2001 as a vehicle mechanic but his passion for dogs led to his transfer to the Royal Army Veterinary Corps.
Last month, Tasker said he did not know that the dog support unit existed until a friend showed him videos of dogs at work.
He said: “I love my job and working together with Theo. He has great character and never tires. He can’t wait to get out and do his job.”
Lance Corporal Tasker’s death brings to 358 the number of British military personnel to have died in Afghanistan since operations began in 2001. (ANI)
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Tags: british army, broken heart, camp bastion, daily telegraph, explosive devices, five months, front man, lance corporal, military personnel, nahr, royal army veterinary corps, saraj, small arm, spaniel, tasker, telegraph reports, tour of duty, uk army, vehicle mechanic, working dog