A French soldier with his dog Olaf standing at attention during a ceremony in Suippes, eastern France, on Oct 20, 2022. Photo: AP
From tracking down suspects in the 2015 Paris terror attacks to fighting extremists in Africa’s Sahel region, dogs have helped French soldiers, police officers and rescue teams save lives for more than a century.
In recognition of the four-pawed partners, France on Oct 20 inaugurated a memorial paying tribute to all "civilian and military hero dogs”. It features a sculpture by French-Columbian artist Milthon depicting a World War I soldier and his dog huddled together.
The monument is located in front of the town hall in Suippes, part of an area of northeast France that saw major battles during World War I. The placement acknowledges the important role dogs played in the US and European armies of the time.
Suippes is also home to the largest military kennel in Europe, where members of the French army's 132nd canine infantry regiment train dogs for military duty. The regiment currently consists of 650 army personnel and 550 dogs.
The monument in homage to hero dogs was an initiative of the French kennel club, the Centrale Canine. Animals from the army regiment attended the ceremony on Oct 20, inaugurating the memorial wearing their military medals.
The first memorial dedicated to civilian and military hero dogs in France in Suippes, eastern France. The monument is located on a key WWI site, echoing the important role played by dogs in US and European armies at the time. Photo: AFP
"It’s very important (recognition) because dogs, like human beings, carry out missions, but we don’t ask them for their opinion. So to me, it’s fair to give them back a medal,” Johann, an adjutant in a combat unit, said.
He and other human members of the unit could only be identified by their first names for security reasons related to their military status.
The regiment in Suippes is preparing dogs for combat zones where they would be tasked with sniffing out and chasing a potential enemy. Some are also trained to detect explosives and drugs. Each dog is paired with a soldier.
Johann, a member of the regiment for 12 years, is now paired with a Dutch Shepherd named Nasky. He has not lost a dog in action, though has colleagues who have.
"It’s significant from a psychological point of view and very hard for the handler. But in those moments, we take upon ourselves (to continue) and when we don’t have our dog anymore, we still are infantry soldiers and we must be able to continue our missions,” he said.
The dogs selected for training sometimes are recruited when they are puppies, but most are 18 months old. Many come from France, others from the Netherlands, Germany and countries in eastern Europe.
They go through a series of tests to see whether they are enthusiastic about biting, willing to play and not easily startled in a stressful environment. The most important quality required is bravery, the regiment’s soldiers said.
Soldiers take care of dogs at the 132nd canine infantry regiment in Suippes, on Oct 20. The 132nd canine infantry regiment is the largest military kennel in Europe, and has been training all elite dogs of the French Army for 45 years. Photo: AP
"We use a lot their olfactory sense, their sight, their physical abilities. That’s why we have lots of Belgian, German Shepherds, dogs who can run, who are resistant to heat and cold," canine unit member Audrey explained. "They are very good working dogs.”
When they no longer can fulfill their missions, the dogs are retired. Audrey plans to keep her partner, Moocki, with her at home when the time comes. She explained "the handlers are the ones in best position to choose families” for retired dogs.
"We’re trying, as handlers, to do this the best we can... depending on the dog, the character. Some dogs may also have post-traumatic stress disorder,” she said.
The ceremony on Oct 20 in France notably paid tribute to Diesel, a police dog killed in a raid targeting the mastermind of the Paris attacks in 2015, and to Leuk, an assault dog of the French military killed by an extremist in Mali in 2019.
French soldiers with their dogs standing at attention during a ceremony in Suippes, eastern France, on Oct 20. Photo: AP
Other nations have recognised the wartime contributions of dogs. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy awarded a medal to a Jack Russell terrier named Patron that sniffed for mines after Russia invaded Ukraine. Patron later received a visit from US Secretary of State Antony Blinken who praised him as "world famous”.
