Hungary’s military finds mission in life for abused dog

Hungary’s military has found a new mission in life for a talented dog who was rescued from abusive owners, recruiting 2-year-old Logan to serve in counterterrorism operations for an elite bomb squad.
The Belgian shepherd is undergoing intensive training as an explosives detection dog for the explosive ordnance disposal and warship regiment of the Hungarian Defense Forces.
At the unit’s garrison on the Danube River in the capital Budapest, Logan receives daily socialisation and obedience exercises, and is trained to recognise the smell of 25 different explosive substances.
gt. 1st Class Balazs Nemeth and his bomb sniffer dog Logan are seen together on the deck of a military boat in Budapest, Hungary, April 28, 2022. (AP Photo/Bela Szandelszky)
“He has already started to learn how to smell explosives in a completely homogeneous environment, and he has also started to learn how to search motor vehicles and ships,” said Logan’s trainer, Sgt. 1st Class Balazs Nemeth.
Logan’s new role as a bomb sniffer came only after an early life full of hardships. In 2021, animal welfare officers received a tip that a dog was being abused and held in inhumane conditions at a rural residence in northeastern Hungary. During an on-site inspection, the officers found Logan confined to a one-meter (3-foot) chain and suffering from malnourishment.