Video: New Hope Students Meet A War Hero

[syndicaster id=’6202206′]

BY SHELBY ANDERTON

NEW HOPE, Miss. (WCBI) — Students at New Hope Middle School spent the last few weeks learning about war dogs. Tuesday, they came face to face with one.

Boss is a trained bomb dog that has just returned from the Middle East.

He spent two years sniffing out bombs and saving lives overseas until he suffered an eye injury.

On this day though, he’s giving out warm hugs to each child he greets.

“Dogs can really be a part of our lives and really help us with things even across the seas or just playing in the backyard,” said Caleb Parr, a New Hope student.

Boss recently returned to the U.S. to receive medical treatment for his injury.

He now lives with Deputy Richard Dye and works in the K-9 unit with the Lowndes County Sheriff’s Department.

“The dog is not a piece of equipment like your pistol or your handcuffs or a radio. It’s a living, breathing thing and you have to take care of it. You have to start off like it’s one of your children and then it becomes a partner to you,” said Dye.

In his new role, Boss spends his days sniffing out evidence for investigators.

“75-100 times is what it takes to introduce an odor to the dog so and you can imagine if you’re doing eight to twelve or more odors it takes a long time,” added Dye,

From the war zone to crime scenes, Boss has been man’s best friend and hero.

Boss has made a full recovery from his eye injury sustained overseas.