Kuga (dog)
Kuga (2007-2012) was a male Belgian Malinois military dog serving with the Australian Army. In 2011, Kuga was shot five times while grasping an insurgent fighter with his mouth, while on patrol in Khas Urozgan District, Afghanistan. Kuga died in 2012 of complications from the wounds despite veterinary treatment. In 2018, Kuga was posthumously awarded the Dickin Medal considered the Victoria Cross for animals. Early life Kuga was born on 23 April 2007, and began training with the Australian Special Air Service Regiment (SASR) in January 2008, aged eight months. Kuga was assigned to his handler (who can not be named for security reasons) in April 2009, and in June 2010 they deployed to Afghanistan for their first tour. Award situation On 26 August 2011, during the pair's second tour, a SASR patrol was airlifted by helicopter into Khas Urozgan District in central Afghanistan, with a mission to locate a high value Taliban. Unknown to the patrol was that an ambush had been established by the Taliban fighters. Kuga's handler, ranked Sergeant, let Kuga off-lead to patrol ahead and scout. Kuga went to the left and ahead, then down a creek bank. While Kuga was swimming across the creek, the