Julian saw Layka as his hero, and he intended to save her life just as she had saved his.
Current Time 0:00
Duration 10:03
Remaining Time 10:03
Staff Sergeant Julian McDonald had no clue that sending Layka, a trained military dog, inside an Afghan building to clear it before he and the men entered would affect the path of his life for the rest of his life.
McDonald was in charge of Layka, a Belgian Malinois military dog, while in Afghanistan.
The sergeant sent the dog to check the building on that fateful day in 2013, planning to follow behind with the rest of his men once everything was secure. The soldiers suspected the facility was not safe when they heard bullets fired.
Armed men inside the building shot Layka four times at point blank range before turning their sights on the soldiers outside. Layka was able to incapacitate her assailant and rescue the soldiers’ lives despite her injuries.
The veterinarians were successful in saving the dog’s life after a seven-hour operation, but the procedure left her with only one leg. The most crucial element was that she was still alive.
