Truly long-time readers may recall the name “Apopo”, a charity which raises rats to detect both landmines and tuberculosis. I previously wrote about how adopting such a rat is a great gift for that special someone in your life. Recently, a UK charity recognized one of Apopo’s HeroRats for his work in sniffing out 39 landmines, as well as 28 unexploded munitions.

The UK veterinary charity PDSA has presented him with its Gold Medal for “life-saving devotion to duty, in the location and clearance of deadly landmines in Cambodia”.

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PDSA’s Gold Medal is inscribed with the words “For animal gallantry or devotion to duty”. Of the 30 animal recipients of the award, Magawa is the first rat.

Here’s to Magawa, and all the HeroRats. You can donate to this worthy cause through their site. In closing, please enjoy this photograph of Magawa wearing his medal.