Meet Patron, the Jack Russell who's a key member of a Ukraine bomb squad — and a celebrity
Before the Ukraine war, Patron enjoyed life as a normal Jack Russell terrier.
"We were looking for a dog breed that travelled well and was compact," Patron's owner, Mykhailo Iliev — also the leader of a bomb squad in the city of Chernihiv — said in Ukrainian. "We also were looking for a certified pedigree so we could raise him as a competitive show dog.
"But that never happened. The war got in the way."
Today, Ukraine has more landmines than almost any other place on Earth. Every day, Iliev and his team work to clear explosives from one part of the country.
And Patron is a key member of that team.
In Ukrainian, the word patron means "bullet" or "cartridge" — an apt name for a pet who has found a career as a bomb-sniffing dog.
For his training, Patron was introduced to the smell of gunpowder and got used to the sound of explosions.
"We just kept giving him explosives to sniff," Iliev said in the documentary Saving the Animals of Ukraine.
Patron isn't the only bomb-sniffing dog out there, but his size sets him apart. His low weight protects him from landmines: it takes at least 5 kilograms of pressure to trigger most anti-personnel landmines, and Patron weighs about 4 kilograms.
His customized uniform looks sharp, but it also serves an important purpose. "We added a handle on top into the design," Iliev said. "If there are wire-triggered landmines, this allows me to immediately pick Patron up and transport him to safety."
The most famous dog in Ukraine
Patron's Instagram account was started from inside a bomb shelter. The very first post went viral, and he now has over 400,000 followers and is the most famous dog in Ukraine.
He received a medal from Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and met British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.
In November 2022, Patron became UNICEF's first Goodwill AmbassaDog, for helping to protect children from landmines. (Other UNICEF Goodwill Ambassadors include football star David Beckham and pop singer Katy Perry).
"When Patron is coming, [the kids'] reaction is like, 'Oh, my God, he's here! He will tell me something very important,'" said Tetiana Kazanzhy of UNICEF Ukraine.
Patron has had a song written about him, has his likeness on a charitable postage stamp, and has a line of merchandise, including a stuffed animal, stickers and a postcard.
While he has a large international fan base, his biggest admirers might be the other members of the bomb squad, who are grateful for the added level of protection he provides.
Learn more about Patron in Saving the Animals of Ukraine, now streaming on CBC Gem.
