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- Lucy is a stereotypically giddy black labradoodle. She's not what you picture when you think of a military dog serving on the front lines in Afghanistan. She wiggles around the room chasing her tennis ball and thinks my microphone cover is a chew toy.
But her handler, Spc. Heath Garcia, says when Lucy is on a mission, she's all business. She's highly trained to sniff out improvised explosive devices, or IEDs, which are the No. 1 killer of civilians and troops in Afghanistan.
ButterflyEffect · 4413 days ago · link ·
This article raises the question of how ethical it is to use animals in a war zone. I think in this case the dogs are very beneficial both in terms of helping find IEDs, but also in terms of providing more companionship for their handlers. It's a win-win situation in that you have an animal that is very good at finding objects, and can also bond with people.