Army Dog Handler And Spaniel Repatriated

Sky News ^ | March 10, 2011 | Katie Stallard

[Immerito]

An army dog handler and his record-breaking sniffer dog are being flown home after being killed on operation in Afghanistan.

Lance Corporal Liam Tasker, of the 1st Military Working Dog Regiment, the Royal Army Veterinary Corps, was killed by small arms fire on patrol with his dog in Helmand Province on Tuesday of last week.

[Immerito]

Doggie ping

[truthkeeper]

I raised Springers for years...this story really choked me up.

God bless this brave soldier, and his dog too.

[Joe 6-pack]

WOOOF!

The Doggie Ping list is for FReepers who would like to be notified of threads relating to all things canid. If you would like to join the Doggie Ping Pack (or be unleashed from it), FReemail me.

[trisham]

I’m glad they’re coming home. Very sad.

[blueunicorn6]

“The day is done...” “Welcome to heaven Soldier. I see you brought a friend.”

[Recovering Ex-hippie]

Brilliant...both of your posts...just brilliant!

this would have been over in a couple weeks in the 1940’s..but now we have a holes running this country and sad to say even in the military at the top ( can you say Deeee-ver-siteeee?).

[KeyLargo]

UK Army Dog May Have Died From Broken Heart

Published March 10, 2011 | Associated Press

Liam and Theo were a team, fast friends doing a dangerous job — searching out roadside bombs laid by insurgents in Afghanistan.

The jovial British soldier and his irrepressible dog worked and played together for months, and died on the same day. On Thursday they came home, flown back to Britain in a somber repatriation ceremony for the soldier remembered for his empathy with animals and the companion he loved.

Lance Cpl. Liam Tasker, a dog handler with the Royal Army Veterinary Corps, was killed in a firefight with insurgents in Helmand Province on March 1 as he searched for explosives with Theo, a bomb-sniffing springer spaniel mix. The dog suffered a fatal seizure hours later at a British army base, likely brought about by stress.

Military officials won’t go so far as to say Theo died of a broken heart — but that may not be far from the truth.

“I think we often underestimate the grieving process in dogs,” said Elaine Pendlebury, a senior veterinarian with animal charity PDSA. “Some dogs react very severely to their partner’s loss.”

Read more: http://www.foxnews.com/world/2011/03/10/uk-army-dog-died-broken-heart-1606316739/#ixzz1GIVLSscO

[KeyLargo]

AP In this undated image made available in London by the Ministry of Defence, Lance Corporal Liam Tasker trains with his Military Working Dog, Theo, in Camp Bastion, Afghanistan. The body of Lance Corporal Tasker, a dog handler with the Royal Army Veterinary Corps who was killed in a firefight with insurgents in Helmand Province is to be repatriated to Britain, Thursday March 10, 2011, along with Theo, his bomb-sniffing springer spaniel, who suffered a fatal seizure hours later at a British army base

Read more: http://www.foxnews.com/world/2011/03/10/uk-army-dog-died-broken-heart-1606316739/#ixzz1GIVjgmxF

[trisham]

What a wonderful photo. Thank you!