"She's one of us..."

LEAVE NO DOG BEHIND

No matter where you stand in the insanely complex history and exchange of hostilities between Hamas, the Palestinians and Israel, it's impossible to remain dispassionate viewing the YouTube about bomb sniffing dog of war Mikey. In fact if you can do this, post how below, I want to know! Me, I'm from an extended family of dog persons (and the odd cat person!), our family pets left an indelible impression on any home graced with their meows and barks and a few chirps expressing true innocence and boundless joy. Special family members we remember forever, who when they have passed are missed as much, no, in a unique way even more than human family!

So much for me watching Mikey's story 'dispassionately': about 1 minute in I was bawling my eyes out. Immediately resonating too with this badly hurt sniffer dog's Israel Defense Force handler, describing how when they work, naturally they send in the dog ahead of the soldiers, saving human lives is such a canine driver's function, canine olfactory capabilities an indispensable super sense like when one time Mikey spotted, 'marked' a booby trapped building where a well concealed pipe bomb hung suspended to obliterate anyone on entry. Mikey stopped her team in its tracks, saved all these soldiers' lives. That said, however supernatural that nose. Keep rolling the dice and one brilliant/'lucky' IED-maker outsmarts the dog, who dies so a soldier lives. And that's the job.


HOW ISRAEL TREATS A HERO

In the video Mikey, having been hit in the head by a grenade, is evacuated with a crushed skull and massive blood loss while a succession of medics try to work on her while being wildly thrown about during extraction out of Gaza. Continuing on Israel's roads, army vets continue to stabilize the critically injured dog, and they increase speed to the point of risking a car crash. In summary, Mikey reaches the hospital, gets treated by vets as well as 'regular' medical specialists, doctors who explain their unhesitating commitment to an unusual patient by stating: "She's one of us!". Mikey at one point is given up, yet again pulls through. And we see this wonderful creature jumping to all fours to elated cheers from all hospital personnel.

This amazingly good girl left her sight and much of her hearing behind on the battlefield. Doggy brain peppered by shrapnel! Yet she has returned to city life, to home with the IDF soldier whose life she so courageously has guarded. Plays with a roped tennis ball, her nose having to make up for the loss of her other senses. At times people in the park ask Mikey's uniformed owner what happened to her, and he again and again tells the tale how she gave her all to save her fellow soldiers' lives.


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