Last fall, Friendship Hospital for Animals in Washington, D.C. held a contest to name the mine-detection dog they began sponsoring through the Marshall Legacy Institute. Two clients came up with the winning name: Friendship.  The MLI has provided over 100 mine-detection dogs to more than a dozen war torn countries around the world. The dogs they train and place in these countries have saved thousands of lives and have a remarkable record of safety and success.

Friendship's journey from Texas to Afghanistan:  Late this past March, after completing several months of extensive training in San Antonio, Texas, Friendship was flown to Afghanistan. According to his trainers and handler, Friendship arrived in excellent health, with plenty of energy to commence the next phase of his training.  Currently in Kabul, the handsome black German shepherd is completing his training and -- equally important -- bonding with his Afghani handler. By mid-summer, Friendship and his handler will be out in the field, finding landmines so they can be disabled and removed.

Safety first for Friendship and his Handler: Because safety is a top priority, Friendship and his human partner are going through an extensive training program. Each time Friendship sniffs out a mine, he will follow this specially designed protocol:  sit still, stay safe, alert his human partner to mark the spot. After each successful identification, Friendship will receive plenty of praise from his handler -- plus a reward like a ball or a toy.

Why dogs?  Thanks to their detection skills, as well as their agility and size, dogs are one of the most versatile and valuable partners in the landmine removal team. On average, a mine detection dog working with a human handler can search up to 1,500 square meters per day. (To put this figure into perspective, a person with a probe or metal detector can search only about 50 square meters a day.)

Why de-mining matters in Afghanistan:  Landmines kill four Afghani children under the age of 16 EACH DAY.  One out of every 10 adult men is a landmine victim.  Sixty-five percent of the land is unusable, due to the presence of landmines.

For more information and a picture of Friendship the dog, go to http://www.friendshiptails.com/2009/04/friendship-dog.html.

For more about the Marshall Legacy Institute and its mine-detecting dogs, see www.marshall-legacy.org.