.Bomb dog Sardi reunited with handler
A bomb-sniffing dog missing in Afghanistan for more than a year after a clash with insurgents has been reunited with her handler on Australian soil.
Sarbi disappeared in September 2008 in Oruzgan Province during a "rolling ambush" which lasted about three hours and left nine Australian soldiers injured.
On Monday, the "outgoing" Labrador-Newfoundland crossbreed who loves pats, appeared happy to be home at her Special Operations Command unit at Holsworthy Barracks army base in Sydney.
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The eight-year-old dog trained in explosive detection smiled for the cameras and performed on cue for her equally-delighted handler, who can be only be identified as Sergeant D.
He said he was "ecstatic" to have her back.
"When she was finally found I was over the moon," he told reporters.
The pair had become separated when shrapnel from an exploding rocket-propelled grenade (RPG) broke a clip attaching Sarbi to Sgt D's body armour.
Both were injured and Sgt D was later struck again, meaning he was unable to retrieve her.
"After I had been hit by the last couple of RPGs I took shelter in a ditch ... and she actually came within about five metres of me," he said.
"But one of the machine guns fired over the top and she ducked out of the way and then the vehicle was coming up so I had to just jump on.
"It was hard leaving but ... the priority was for the soldiers and at that time we were still receiving fire."
He was released from hospital six days later and went back into the area to find his canine companion.
Eventually his tour of duty ended and he returned to Australia alone, hopeful that Sarbi would one day turn up.
Fourteen months after her disappearance, an American soldier spotted Sarbi with an Afghan man, and realising that she responded to English commands, returned her to coalition forces in Tarin Kowt.
"We can't say exactly where she was but we assume she was being looked after by a family or some Afghan locals," Sgt D said.
"She was very healthy, she was actually overweight, they were either feeding her very well or she was getting into the food herself."
Sarbi spent six months being tested and treated in preparation for her return. On Saturday she was given the all-clear to head home to Holsworthy.
"She seemed pretty happy to see me," Sgt D said of their reunion, adding that her tail was wagging.
"She is a very outgoing dog ... always happy to see people and get lots of pats, and at the same time, she is very happy to work."
Sarbi now faces assessment to determine whether she is fit to return to work.
If that's not an option, "she'll come home and spend the rest of the time with me, living it up in the backyard," Sgt D said.
And will she return to overseas service?
"There is that chance," he said.
"If I deploy then she would as well."
SMH
Sarbi disappeared in September 2008 in Oruzgan Province during a "rolling ambush" which lasted about three hours and left nine Australian soldiers injured.
On Monday, the "outgoing" Labrador-Newfoundland crossbreed who loves pats, appeared happy to be home at her Special Operations Command unit at Holsworthy Barracks army base in Sydney.
Advertisement: Story continues below
The eight-year-old dog trained in explosive detection smiled for the cameras and performed on cue for her equally-delighted handler, who can be only be identified as Sergeant D.
He said he was "ecstatic" to have her back.
"When she was finally found I was over the moon," he told reporters.
The pair had become separated when shrapnel from an exploding rocket-propelled grenade (RPG) broke a clip attaching Sarbi to Sgt D's body armour.
Both were injured and Sgt D was later struck again, meaning he was unable to retrieve her.
"After I had been hit by the last couple of RPGs I took shelter in a ditch ... and she actually came within about five metres of me," he said.
"But one of the machine guns fired over the top and she ducked out of the way and then the vehicle was coming up so I had to just jump on.
"It was hard leaving but ... the priority was for the soldiers and at that time we were still receiving fire."
He was released from hospital six days later and went back into the area to find his canine companion.
Eventually his tour of duty ended and he returned to Australia alone, hopeful that Sarbi would one day turn up.
Fourteen months after her disappearance, an American soldier spotted Sarbi with an Afghan man, and realising that she responded to English commands, returned her to coalition forces in Tarin Kowt.
"We can't say exactly where she was but we assume she was being looked after by a family or some Afghan locals," Sgt D said.
"She was very healthy, she was actually overweight, they were either feeding her very well or she was getting into the food herself."
Sarbi spent six months being tested and treated in preparation for her return. On Saturday she was given the all-clear to head home to Holsworthy.
"She seemed pretty happy to see me," Sgt D said of their reunion, adding that her tail was wagging.
"She is a very outgoing dog ... always happy to see people and get lots of pats, and at the same time, she is very happy to work."
Sarbi now faces assessment to determine whether she is fit to return to work.
If that's not an option, "she'll come home and spend the rest of the time with me, living it up in the backyard," Sgt D said.
And will she return to overseas service?
"There is that chance," he said.
"If I deploy then she would as well."
SMH
posted by madtom at 10:02 PM
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