DEFENCE MEDIA RELEASE
Issued by Ministerial Support and Public Affairs, Department of Defence, Canberra, ACT
Phone: 02 6127 1999, Fax: 02 6265 1545
MSPA 386/09
Thursday, 12 November 2009
AUSTRALIAN DOG RETURNS HOME AFTER A YEAR IN
THE AFGHAN WILDERNESS
An Australian Special Forces Explosive Detection Dog has been found alive and well
almost fourteen months after going missing in action (MIA) in Afghanistan. “Sabi”
was recovered by a US Soldier at an isolated patrol base in north-eastern Oruzgan last
week.
The black Labrador was trained to counter the threat posed by improvised explosive
devices (IEDs) in Oruzgan province.
Sabi was declared MIA in September 2008 during the same battle with the Taliban in
which SAS Trooper Mark Donaldson won his Victoria Cross. Sabi was present with
her handler when their combined Australian, US and Afghan National Army convoy
was ambushed by a numerically superior, well-sited and prepared insurgent force.
Nine Australian soldiers, including Sabi’s handler, were wounded during the
engagement.
The US soldier who recovered her and who can be identified only by his first name,
John, was aware his Australian Special Forces mates were missing one of their
explosive detection dogs.
He said it was immediately obvious that Sabi was no ordinary canine. “I took the dog
and gave it some commands it understood.”
John thanked the man who was with Sabi and shook his hand.
Sabi spent more than a year in the desolate south of Afghanistan. Repeated attempts
were made by the Special Operations Task Group to discover Sabi’s fate. Sabi was
flown to Tarin Kowt to be reunited with one of her Australian Special Forces trainers.
The Australian trainer knew instantly it was Sabi.
“I nudged a tennis ball to her with my foot and she took it straight away. It’s a game
we used to play over and over during her training,” the trainer said. “It’s amazing, just
incredible, to have her back.”
Currently in the United Kingdom after meeting Her Majesty the Queen, Trooper Mark
Donaldson said Sabi’s return closed a chapter of their shared history.
DEFENCE MEDIA RELEASE
Issued by Ministerial Support and Public Affairs, Department of Defence, Canberra, ACT
Phone: 02 6127 1999, Fax: 02 6265 1545
“She’s the last piece of the puzzle,” Trooper Donaldson said. “Having Sabi back gives
some closure for the handler and the rest of us that served with her in 2008. It’s a
fantastic morale booster for the guys.”
At the time of her disappearance Sabi was coming to the end of her second tour of
duty in Afghanistan, having previously deployed to Oruzgan in 2007.
Sabi had also deployed with the Incident Response Regiment during the Melbourne
Commonwealth Games in 2006.
Sabi will now undergo a period of quarantine before a decision can be made about the
timing of her return to Australia. A veterinary assessment of Sabi’s exposure to
diseases has yet to be completed. It is hoped the tests will prove negative and Sabi can
return to Australia.
Media note:
Imagery is available at:
m
Vision of Sabi will be fed to networks at Parliament House at 8:45.
Media contact: Defence Media Liaison: 02 6127 1999 or 0408 498 664
NEWS 
