Once At A Local Pound, Gabe Now Sniffs Out Bombs In Iraq

Team Infidel

Forum Spin Doctor
Houston Chronicle
June 21, 2008
Pg. 1
By Rosanna Ruiz, Houston Chronicle
In his early years, he was known to wander the streets and howl at the moon. Then, the Army got ahold of him.
His rough and tumble ways behind him, Sgt. 1st Class Gabe, a bomb-sniffing Labrador retriever, is now a top military dog serving on the front lines in Iraq.
To those who rescued Gabe from a Harris County pound three years ago, it's only fitting that he went on to save the lives of others.
"This is really special to see how far he's gone," said Dina Barron, president of the Southeast Texas Labrador Retriever Rescue group.
Other rescued Labs have gone on to work security details in airports, but Gabe's war duty is a first for the group, she said.
Gabe showed early on that he had potential and was immediately sent for training at Lackland Air Force Base in San Antonio in 2005. A year later, he shipped off to the war in Iraq.
His impressive military record led the American Kennel Club recently to honor Gabe with its Heroic Military Working Dog Award medal. His partner, Sgt. Charles Shuck, of the 178th Military Police Detachment, also shared in the honor.
The pair has conducted more than 170 combat patrols, including search operations, raids and sweeps that provided safe environments for task forces, Iraqi police and other coalition forces, according to the AKC.
"Most people don't need dogs to sniff out bombs," said Colleen Hodges, a spokeswoman for the Harris County Veterinary Public Health Division, "but if you can get them to find dirty socks under the bed that would be great."
 
Back
Top