Bomb-sniffing dog loses leg in explosion, hailed as hero for saving dozens of lives in Colombia

A military dog is being hailed as a hero in Colombia after detecting a bomb planted by guerrilla fighters that exploded during a military operation, authorities said, adding that the wounded canine's actions saved the lives of dozens of soldiers and civilians. The incident was announced just two days after a bomb strapped to a donkey exploded in the same area, killing one soldier and wounding two others.

The anti-explosive canine, named Sanson, was helping troops conduct a reconnaissance operation in Antioquia, a mountainous region in northwest Colombia, when the bomb exploded, the army said Friday in a social media post. Authorities said the bomb had been planted on a "community-used path" by the National Liberation Army, known by its Spanish language acronym ELN. 

With one of his legs shattered by the blast, Sanson was able to drag himself to his handler, soldier Carlos Eduardo Beleño, authorities said.