London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Monday, Jul 14, 2025

Hero dog to receive UK's highest military honour for animals

A hero dog who charged through enemy gunfire to save the lives of British soldiers has been awarded the animal equivalent of the Victoria Cross.
Kuno, a Belgian Malinois, was working alongside special forces in Afghanistan when soldiers came under attack from al-Qaeda extremists during a night raid on an enemy stronghold in 2019.

The soldiers were pinned by grenade and machine-gun fire and unable to advance.

Kuno, who is trained to incapacitate enemy soldiers, was sent in to break the stalemate. Wearing night vision goggles, he charged through a flurry of bullets to wrestle the gunman to the ground, allowing the mission to be achieved successfully.

However, the heroic canine was shot in his hind legs and needed to be treated by his handler and medics in the back of a helicopter as they flew back to base.

He suffered a multitude of injuries and needed to be flown back to the UK on a Royal Air Force plane for treatment.

Vets had to amputate parts of both his back paw to prevent infection taking hold.

He then became the first UK military working dog to be fitted with custom-made prosthetic limbs to replace his missing paw and aid an injured leg.

Defence Secretary Ben Wallace said Kuno changed the course of the mission.

He said: ‘Without Kuno, the course of this operation could have been very different, and it’s clear he saved the lives of British personnel that day.

‘Kuno’s story reminds us not only of the dedicated service of our soldiers and military dogs, but also the great care that the UK armed forces provide to the animals that serve alongside them.’

Kuno will receive the Dickin Medal, the highest honour for military animal valour, from vet charity the PDSA in November.

He will become the 72nd recipient of the medal, with previous honours going to 34 dogs, 32 World War Two messenger pigeons, four horses, and one cat.

PDSA’s director-general Jan McLoughlin said Kuno took on the enemy ‘without fear or hesitation’ and ‘never faltered from his duty despite being seriously injured’.

Kuno, now four, is enjoying well-earned rest and relaxation in retirement.
Comments

Chris Pierce 5 year ago
Have a wonderful life boy you deserve it so much Bless you

Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Bal des Pompiers: A Celebration of Community and Firefighter Culture in France
FBI Chief Kash Patel Denies Resignation Speculations Amid Epstein List Controversy
Air India Pilot’s Mental Health Records Under Scrutiny
Google Secures Windsurf AI Coding Team in $2.4 Billion Licence Deal
Jamie Dimon Warns Europe Is Losing Global Competitiveness and Flags Market Complacency
South African Police Minister Suspended Amid Organised Crime Allegations
Nvidia CEO Claims Chinese Military Reluctance to Use US AI Technology
Hong Kong Advances Digital Asset Strategy to Address Economic Challenges
Australia Rules Out Pre‑commitment of Troops, Reinforces Defence Posture Amid US‑China Tensions
Martha Wells Says Humanity Still Far from True Artificial Intelligence
Nvidia Becomes World’s First Four‑Trillion‑Dollar Company Amid AI Boom
U.S. Resumes Deportations to Third Countries After Supreme Court Ruling
Excavation Begins at Site of Mass Grave for Children at Former Irish Institution
Iranian President Reportedly Injured During Israeli Strike on Secret Facility
EU Delays Retaliatory Tariffs Amid New U.S. Threats on Imports
Trump Defends Attorney General Pam Bondi Amid Epstein Memo Backlash
Renault Shares Drop as CEO Luca de Meo Announces Departure Amid Reports of Move to Kering
Senior Aides for King Charles and Prince Harry Hold Secret Peace Summit
Anti‑Semitism ‘Normalised’ in Middle‑Class Britain, Says Commission Co‑Chair
King Charles Meets David Beckham at Chelsea Flower Show
If the Department is Really About Justice: Ghislaine Maxwell Should Be Freed Now
NYC Candidate Zohran Mamdani’s ‘Antifada’ Remarks Spark National Debate on Political Language and Economic Policy
President Trump Visits Flood-Ravaged Texas, Praises Community Strength and First Responders
From Mystery to Meltdown, Crisis Within the Trump Administration: Epstein Files Ignite A Deepening Rift at the Highest Levels of Government Reveals Chaos, Leaks, and Growing MAGA Backlash
Trump Slams Putin Over War Death Toll, Teases Major Russia Announcement
Reparations argument crushed
Rainmaker CEO Says Cloud Seeding Paused Before Deadly Texas Floods
A 92-year-old woman, who felt she doesn't belong in a nursing home, escaped the death-camp by climbing a gate nearly 8 ft tall
French Journalist Acquitted in Controversial Case Involving Brigitte Macron
Elon Musk’s xAI Targets $200 Billion Valuation in New Fundraising Round
Kraft Heinz Considers Splitting Off Grocery Division Amid Strategic Review
Trump Proposes Supplying Arms to Ukraine Through NATO Allies
EU Proposes New Tax on Large Companies to Boost Budget
Trump Imposes 35% Tariffs on Canadian Imports Amid Trade Tensions
Junior Doctors in the UK Prepare for Five-Day Strike Over Pay Disputes
US Opens First Rare Earth Mine in Over 70 Years in Wyoming
Kurdistan Workers Party Takes Symbolic Step Towards Peace in Northern Iraq
Bitcoin Reaches New Milestone of $116,000
Biden’s Doctor Pleads the Fifth to Avoid Self-Incrimination on President’s Medical Fitness
Grok Chatbot Faces International Backlash for Antisemitic Content
Severe Heatwave Claims 2,300 Lives Across Europe
NVIDIA Achieves Historic Milestone as First Company Valued at $4 Trillion
Declining Beer Consumption Signals Cultural Shift in Germany
Linda Yaccarino Steps Down as CEO of X After Two Years
US Imposes New Tariffs on Brazilian Exports Amid Political Tensions
Azerbaijan and Armenia are on the brink of a historic peace deal.
Emails Leaked: How Passenger Luggage Became a Side Income for Airport Workers
Polish MEP: “Dear Leftists - China is laughing at you, Russia is laughing, India is laughing”
BRICS Expands Membership with Indonesia and Ten New Partner Countries
Weinstein Victim’s Lawyer Says MeToo Movement Still Strong
×