Ukranian President Medals a Bomb-Sniffing Dog Named Patron

Angela Vuckovic
by Angela Vuckovic
patron_dsns/Instagram

Dogs are man’s best friend and they seem to prove it day after day. One of the greatest examples of how dogs stick by our sides through thick and thin is Patron, a 2-year-old Jack Russell Terrier from Ukraine, who has sniffed out over 200 explosives since the beginning of Russian military operation in February, saving countless lives in the process. Funnily enough, the name Patron translates to “ammo” or “cartridge” in Ukrainian, so the name of this feisty little terrier seems to suit him just right. His efforts haven’t gone unnoticed, which is why president Volodymyr Zelensky awarded Patron a medal to recognize the life-saving work this pooch is doing. Patron’s owner received the Order of Courage III degree medal, and his courageous terrier was given the medal “For Dedicated Service” (and probably a couple of yummy treats to boot). The ceremony took place in presence of Canada’s prime minister Justin Trudeau, who was patting his pockets in search of treats to offer to the four-legged hero, but had to settle with clapping instead – Patron would have probably preferred some jerky or biscuits, but hey, at least he got a medal he can boast with at the dog park.


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A post shared by Патрон🇺🇦🧨 (@patron_dsns)


And as if Patron wasn’t already cute enough, he completely charmed everybody when he managed to fall asleep during the press conference, causing a wave of “aawws” across the room – just look at this cute face!


Glorious Ukrainian deminer Patron taking a nap during an interview pic.twitter.com/8ncF0JKS7R

— Liubov Tsybulska (@TsybulskaLiubov) May 7, 2022


When he’s not busy sniffing out landmines and saving lives, Patron likes to visit children at Okhmatdyt children’s hospital in Kyiv, putting smiles on the faces that need it the most. I think everyone can agree that’s one amazing pooch! Stratcom Center UA seems to agree, since they’ve tweeted that one day, his story must be turned into a movie, but for now, Patron remains a legit star in real life. 

Angela Vuckovic
Angela Vuckovic

A proud mama to seven dogs and ten cats, Angela spends her days writing for her fellow pet parents and pampering her furballs, all of whom are rescues. When she's not gushing over her adorable cats or playing with her dogs, she can be found curled up with a good fantasy book.

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