Patron, the two-year-old Jack Russell Terrier, has become a hero in Ukraine after sniffing out hundreds of bombs. He’s continuously saving lives and looking adorable while doing so. Plus, he has even built up quite the fan club with over 200,000 Instagram followers!
So, Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has given this courageous pup a medal. It was an adorable ceremony, even though Patron had no idea what was happening. He remained on high alert during the ceremony because he’s always ready to help those who need it.
Congratulations, Patron!
Zelenskyy held a small ceremony for the famous bomb-sniffing dog in Kyiv. Patron attended alongside his owner, Myhailo Iliev from the Civil Protection Service. Justin Trudeau, the Prime Minister of Canada, was also in attendance during an unannounced trip to Ukraine.
“Today, I want to award those Ukrainian heroes who are already clearing our land of mines,” Zelenskyy said during the ceremony. “And together with our heroes, [is] a wonderful little sapper, Patron, who helps not only to neutralize explosives, but also to teach our children the necessary safety rules in areas where there is a mine threat.”
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During the ceremony, Patron barked and wagged his tail at Trudeau while he was being given a medal. He was either suspicious of Trudeau, or he wanted attention from him. He’s a busy dog, so staying relaxed during the event wasn’t an option. Everyone chuckled at Patron’s silly behavior, and the ceremony brought a little positivity during difficult times.
Continuing to Save Lives
So far, Patron has helped locate and defuse at least 150 bombs amid the Russian invasion, and he’s not stopping yet. Before the war, the pup was being trained to show people how dogs can learn specific tasks. However, his trainer’s focus shifted when the war began. Then, Patron only worked on bomb-sniffing duties, so he could save lives.
Patron is trained to locate the smell of gunpowder. If he smells any, he shows a signal to Iliev, and then human teammates locate the bomb and defuse it. It’s a risky job, but that doesn’t hold Patron back.
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“[Patron] gives rays of the sun, gives smiles and gives hope only for victory and peace on earth,” Iliev said.
There are many heroes in Ukraine amid the Russian invasion, but most people wouldn’t have expected a tiny dog to have such a big impact. Patron definitely deserves this medal, and he should be proud of all the amazing work he has done so far.
Watch Part of the Ceremony Here:
Featured Image: Instagram
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via Whisker Therapy