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Nova, the bomb detecting dog
Written by AAA
Created Monday, 26 October 2009
October 26, 2009
Article from: Australian Associated Press
Nova, the bomb detecting dog has been killed in Afghanistan.
The canine was fatally injured in a car crash during a training operation with her handler at Camp Holland in Oruzgan Province.
A statement from the Department of Defence said medics tried to save Nova but she was put down by the regimental medical officer.
The 2nd Mentoring and Reconstruction Task Force (MRTF-2) gathered with the Chaplain to farewell their four-legged mate.
Commanding officer Peter Connolly said the loss of Nova had been by the personnel of MRTF-2 and the wider Royal Australian Engineers, particularly their specialist dog handlers.
"Explosive detection dogs are a critical asset in our fight against improvised explosive devices. The dogs save countless lives,'' Lieutenant Colonel Connolly said in a statement.
Nova had served with distinction throughout her Army career and was recently involved in Operation Baz Panje, a Joint Afghan National Army, Australian Defence Force and Coalition Operation, responding to calls from Afghan Locals to remove the threats posed by Taliban insurgents.
Explosive Detection Dogs are used by MRTF-2 in a specialist search capacity to counter the high threat of improvised explosive devices throughout Oruzgan Province.
Nova will be cremated.
AAP
http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,25197,26260584-31477,00.html
