It is undoubtedly an unusual evening which takes place this Wednesday, September 15 at the town hall of Paris.
As evidenced by the many barks that escape from the windows of the town hall of the town hall: inside, wisely installed, Lucky, Obelle, Pollux or even Lab impatiently await their medal, under the watchful eye of their dog handlers.
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Because canines are in the spotlight today: 17 dogs who work hand in hand with humans have been decorated for their bravery and the exceptional work they do with their master.
Military dogs and everyday hero dogs
Detection of illicit materials, fight against terrorism, detection of Covid-19, support for vulnerable people ... Each one has their own specialty and, this year, it is Ebola, a civilian rescue dog, which opens the ball. All his life, Ebola has been involved in avalanches and in the search for missing persons. In 2019, this Belgian Shepherd particularly distinguished himself during the passage of the storm Amélie: while heavy precipitation fell in Nice, an elderly lady was reported missing. Ebola was mobilized and, after 22 hours of intense research, the dog finally found the body of the victim, trapped by a landslide. If the juries were impressed by the pugnacity of Ebola during this operation, the relatives of the victim were also very touched by theinvestment of the dog, who was even invited by the family to the funeral.
Truffle in the air, it's then Lab's turn to receive his trophy. This black Labrador is proof that money does have a smell: he has been working in the customs service for 5 years where he specialized not only in the detection of contraband tobacco, but also in banknotes. bank. In total, Lab has enabled the discovery of more than 20 tons of cigarettes and 300,000 euros. Her best catch dates from 2018: at Nantes airport, at the end of a routine check, Elisa, Lab's mistress, decides to take a break. But Lab does not follow her. Lying on the ground, he stares insistently at a man's shoes. Taken aback, the customs officers decide to search the man. What was not their surprise when they discovered, in the soles of the individual, 15.000 euros. An amount which subsequently turned out to be the result of a money laundering system linked to gold trafficking in Burkina Fasso.
The labrador Lab, specializing in illicit materials, in particular tobacco and Central Canine banknotes
The third trophy goes to the Belgian Malinois Lucky, who solemnly takes the stage.
Integrated within a parachute commando of one of the special forces units of the Air Force, Lucky specializes in the detection of explosives and weapons.
He participated in several special operations against terrorism, including a mission in which he dismounted a school trapped by terrorists.
"
The Belgian Shepherd has great olfactory qualities but, beyond these characteristics linked to the breed, it is necessary for the search for explosives to have a playful and above all determined dog
", explains his master, the adjutant. Gregory.
"
Lucky, he's a dog who won't let go.
He's a real brother in arms for me, we have forged a real relationship.
It is thanks to him if some of our companions can return home in the evening and find their families,
”assures the soldier.
The Belgian Shepherd Malinois Lucky, research dog for explosives and weapons Centrale Canine
It is then the turn of the Bernese Mountain Dog Max to be decorated in the “civilian hero” category. Max is an ordinary dog: the jury wished, through him, to honor everyday dogs. Especially since Max, who received no dressage training, performed a heroic act that the jury wanted to celebrate: while his young master, aged 3, was on the verge of drowning, Max did not hesitate to jump into the water, thus saving little Matthiew.
The fifth trophy was awarded to six winners. Belgian Shepherds Oxmo, Oska, N'ortie, Leyko, Jinko and Joye were recognized for their innovative work in the field of disease detection. If the skills of dogs in the field of identifying degenerative diseases and cancers have already been proven, this is the first time that dogs have been able to show their ability to work on scent from a virus. From March 2020, these six Belgian Shepherds were among the first to work on the detection of variants and on the influence of vaccination on the detection of the coronavirus. A training which was made possible thanks to the Veterinary School of Alfort and the Nosaïs team, specialized in canine olfactory detection. Welcoming the involvement ofMaison Alfort School, the 6th trophy was therefore awarded to the establishment.
Covid-19 detector dog training at the Maison Alfort Centrale Canine Veterinary School
In the “visitor and mediator dog” category, the dog Obelle won the prize.
Aged 3, she joined the staff of Doullens hospital, in the Somme, to support hospitalized patients in palliative care and oncology.
His role?
Reassure yourself during chemotherapy sessions and lie down with people at the end of their life to bring them a little comfort.
His empathy, patience and gentleness paid off.
The Golden Retriever Obelle, mediator dog in the Margaux d'Adhémar / Le Figaro hospitals
Pollux and Ruby also stood out for their support work.
These two shelter dogs are part of a brand new program called “Arion”, which aims to support soldiers suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder in their daily lives.
“
These dogs were once abandoned.
These soldiers, their masters, also went through very difficult situations, which gave rise to great psychological wounds.
It is all the more touching: here the couple, the dog and the man, offer themselves a new life full of hope
”, moved the jury.
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Levys, he was decorated for his coolness and courage, which he showed during an intervention where the latter almost lost his life. In May 2019, while patrolling a heavy truck parking lot where he ensures the security with his mistress dog security officer, the pair identifies two suspicious individuals running on the roofs of trucks. The duo intervene but, in the melee, when Levys manages to grab one of the two individuals in the leg, the dog receives a violent stab stab to the head. The assailant was never found, but Levys was saved. Wounded between the ear and the eye, he proudly received his medal.
Currently busy "
setting up the vaccination campaign in schools
", the Dalmatian Pollen, she was not present.
However, she received a medal for her work at the François Truffaut college in Argentan, in Orne, as an “educational dog”.
Since 2019, this dog has been working three days a week with students to empower them, make them aware of animal welfare, but also to encourage the most timid to socialize.
The Belgian Shepherd Malinois Leuk, from the Kieffer commando of the Marine Nationale Centrale Canine
Like Pollen, the Belgian Shepherd Malinois Leuk was also not present, but for other reasons. Died on the battlefield, this dog, a member of the Kieffer commando of the French Navy, gave his life for man. Specialized in assault and explosives detection, he was sent in May 2019 on a mission to the Sahel. During an intervention in the rocky massifs, Leuk, sent on reconnaissance, never returned. In a place that was difficult to access, he had managed to find a suspicious individual and, after a hand-to-hand fight, Leuk fell under the bullets. "
Be convinced this evening that, like an operator, when a dog is hired, we consider that it is a teammate who will risk his life
", explained his master, "Forest", "
if a dog is injured or killed, a man would have been too. That evening, it is husbands, fathers, sons, who will have been able to return home
”.
