Pack leaders

ARMY generals have used trained war dogs for thousands of years. Egyptian murals dating back to 4,000 BC show vicious animals being unleashed on foes. Roman army leaders dressed heavy mastiffs in armour and metal spikes to attack horses, and cause them to throw their riders. In the 18th century, French military leader Napoleon Bonaparte chained dogs to fortresses to look out for attackers. And during World War One, the Red Cross sent thousands of hounds to search No Man’s Land for wounded troops. In WWII the British used parachute dogs to take messages behind enemy lines in North Africa and France, while Canadian forces dropped huskies to rescue downed pilots. And last February, black labrador Sadie won the Dickin Medal, the animal Victoria Cross, for sniffing out a bomb in... [read full story]