{{Distinguish|Theo (dog)}} {{Infobox animal | name = Treo | image = | image_size = | caption = | birth_name = | species = ''Canis familiaris'' | breed = Labrador Retriever-English Springer Spaniel cross | gender = Male | birth_date = c. 2001 | birth_place = | death_date = {{death year and age|2015|2001}} | death_place = | resting_place = | resting_place_coordinates = | nationality = | employer = | role = Detection dog | years_active = 2002–2009 | known = | tricks = | awards = Dickin Medal | title = | term = | predecessor = | successor = | owner = Dave Heyhoe | parents = | children = | weight = | height = | appearance = Black coat }} '''Treo''' (c. 2001–2015) was a black Labrador Retriever-English Springer Spaniel crossbreed<ref>{{Cite book|title=It's All About Treo: Life and War with the World's Bravest Dog|first=Dave|last=Heyhoe|first2=Damien|last2= Lewis| author2link = Damien Lewis (filmmaker) |year=2012|publisher=Quercus|location=London|isbn=978-1-780-87396-1}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book|title=The Dog Encyclopedia: The Definitive Visual guide |editor-first=Kathryn|editor-last=Hennessy|year=2013|publisher=Dorling Kindersley|location=London|page=295|isbn=978-1-409-36421-4}}</ref> and a retired Arms and Explosives Search dog with the Royal Army Veterinary Corps. He was awarded the Dickin Medal<ref name=pdsadog>{{Cite web | url = http://www.pdsa.org.uk/about-us/animal-bravery-awards/dickin-medal-dogs#awards-made-between-2000-ndash-to-date | title = Dickin Medal dogs | work = People's Dispensary for Sick Animals | accessdate = 14 September 2014 | url-status = dead | archiveurl = https://web.archive.org/web/20100212182318/http://www.pdsa.org.uk/about-us/animal-bravery-awards/dickin-medal-dogs#awards-made-between-2000-ndash-to-date | archivedate = 12 February 2010 }}</ref> (considered the equivalent of a Victoria Cross for animals) in February 2010.<ref name="tele">{{Cite news|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/asia/afghanistan/7175325/Treo-the-dog-awarded-animal-VC.html|title=Treo the dog awarded animal VC|date=6 February 2010|work=The Daily Telegraph|location=London|accessdate=24 February 2010}}</ref> The military nominated Treo for the award in recognition of his help uncovering a number of improvised explosive devices (IED) during his time serving in Helmand Province, an insurgency hot spot, in 2008. Treo was the medal's 63rd recipient.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/02/25/treo-british-labrador-win_n_475571.html|title=Treo, British Labrador, Wins Dickin Medal For Bomb-Sniffing|last=Satter|first=Raphael G. |date=24 February 2010|work=The Huffington Post|location=New York|accessdate=27 February 2010}}</ref>
==Early life== Treo was donated to the Army because of his general behaviour issues and inclination to snapping and growling at people. His former owners' hopes were that the Army would straighten him out. He began a 12-week training course at the Defence Animal Centre after which he was deployed to Northern Ireland for three years with his first handler. When his first handler left the Army, Sergeant Dave Heyhoe took over control of Treo.{{citation needed|date=December 2019}}
==Service in Afghanistan== In 2008, Treo and his handler Sergeant Heyhoe were deployed to Afghanistan, becoming one of 25 dogs supporting British troops there.<ref name="bbc">{{Cite news|url=https://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/8533382.stm|title=Sniffer dog Treo is honoured with PDSA Dickin Medal|date=24 February 2010|work=BBC News|access-date=30 June 2011}}</ref> On 1 August 2008, Treo found an IED, called a daisy chain because of the way multiple explosive devices are wired together, concealed by Taliban insurgents along the side of a road. In September 2008, he found a second daisy chain, both times saving the lives of British soldiers as well as civilians.{{citation needed|date=December 2019}} His success at detecting IEDs did not go unnoticed by the insurgents, and intercepted radio traffic included conversations about "the black dog."<ref>{{Cite news|title=The doomed dogs of war: What happens to military dogs when they are no longer needed?|first=Adrian|last=Lee|work=Daily Express|location=London|date=21 September 2013|accessdate=16 September 2014|url=http://www.express.co.uk/news/uk/431049/The-doomed-dogs-of-war-What-happens-to-military-dogs-when-they-are-no-longer-needed}}</ref> He retired in August 2009 and was awarded the Dickin Medal in February 2010 at the Imperial War Museum in London.<ref name="tele"/>
The Dickin Medal is often referred to as the animal equivalent of the Victoria Cross.<ref>{{Cite book|last=Long|first=David|title=The Animals' VC: For Gallantry and Devotion|year=2012|publisher=Preface|location=London|isbn=978-1-848-09376-8|ref=long2012|url-access=registration|url=https://archive.org/details/animalsvcforgall0000long}}</ref>
==Later life== After seven years in the military, Treo retired to live at home with Heyhoe. His death was announced in October 2015, and Heyhoe buried him with his Dickin Medal and a Union Jack.{{citation needed|date=December 2019}}
==See also== * Dogs in warfare * {{section link|List of individual dogs|War dogs}} * Bravehound
==References== {{reflist|40em}}
==External links== *{{Cite web|url=http://www.pdsa.org.uk/about-us/animal-bravery-awards/pdsa-dickin-medal/|title=PDSA Dickin Medal|work=People's Dispensary for Sick Animals|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20140924092934/http://www.pdsa.org.uk/about-us/animal-bravery-awards/pdsa-dickin-medal|archivedate=2014-09-24}}
{{Dickin Medal}}
Category:Detection dogs Category:British Army animals Category:2001 animal births Category:Individual dogs awarded the Dickin Medal Category:2015 animal deaths