Sarbi (11 September 2002 – 27 March 2015) was an
Australian special forces explosives
An explosive (or explosive material) is a reactive substance that contains a great amount of potential energy that can produce an explosion if released suddenly, usually accompanied by the production of light, heat, sound, and pressure. An expl ...
detection dog
A detection dog or sniffer dog is a dog that is trained to use its senses to detect substances such as explosives, illegal drugs, wildlife scat, currency, blood, and contraband electronics such as illicit mobile phones. The sense most used by d ...
that spent almost 14 months
missing in action
Missing in action (MIA) is a casualty classification assigned to combatants, military chaplains, combat medics, and prisoners of war who are reported missing during wartime or ceasefire. They may have been killed, wounded, captured, ex ...
(MIA) in
Afghanistan
Afghanistan, officially the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan,; prs, امارت اسلامی افغانستان is a landlocked country located at the crossroads of Central Asia and South Asia. Referred to as the Heart of Asia, it is bordere ...
having disappeared during an ambush on 2 September 2008. Sarbi was later rediscovered by an American soldier, and was reunited with Australian forces pending repatriation to Australia. Her name is sometimes spelled 'Sabi'.
Background
Sarbi was a female black
Labrador Retriever Newfoundland
Newfoundland and Labrador (; french: Terre-Neuve-et-Labrador; frequently abbreviated as NL) is the easternmost province of Canada, in the country's Atlantic region. The province comprises the island of Newfoundland and the continental region ...
cross trained in
explosives detection.
[ For her role in Afghanistan, Sarbi was trained to detect ]improvised explosive device
An improvised explosive device (IED) is a bomb constructed and deployed in ways other than in conventional military action. It may be constructed of conventional military explosives, such as an artillery shell, attached to a detonating mechan ...
s (IEDs) in Orūzgān Province
Uruzgan (Dari), also spelled as Urozgan or Oruzgan, is one of the thirty-four provinces of Afghanistan. Uruzgan is located in the center of the country. The population is 436,079, and the province is mostly a tribal society. Tarinkot serves as th ...
.[ Contradictory reports at the time of her discovery put Sarbi's age at either four or ten years old.][ Sarbi had previously been used by the ]Incident Response Regiment
The Special Operations Engineer Regiment (SOER) is a specialised unit of the Australian Army. The regiment forms part of the Special Operations Command. The unit was formed in 2002 as the Incident Response Regiment (IRR), they are deployed to r ...
during the 2006 Commonwealth Games
The 2006 Commonwealth Games, officially the XVIII Commonwealth Games and commonly known as Melbourne 2006 (Boonwurrung/Woiwurrung: ''Narrm 2006'' or ''Naarm 2006''), was an international multi-sport event for members of the Commonwealth held ...
held in Melbourne
Melbourne ( ; Boonwurrung/Woiwurrung: ''Narrm'' or ''Naarm'') is the capital and most populous city of the Australian state of Victoria, and the second-most populous city in both Australia and Oceania. Its name generally refers to a met ...
, Australia, before being deployed to Afghanistan as part of the Australian Army's Operation Slipper
The Australian contribution to the war in Afghanistan has been known as Operation Slipper (2001–2014) and Operation Highroad (2015-2021).
Australian Defence Force (ADF) operations and the size of the forces deployed have varied and ADF invo ...
.[ Operation Slipper was the name of Australian military's part during the ]War in Afghanistan
War in Afghanistan, Afghan war, or Afghan civil war may refer to:
*Conquest of Afghanistan by Alexander the Great (330 BC – 327 BC)
*Muslim conquests of Afghanistan (637–709)
*Conquest of Afghanistan by the Mongol Empire (13th century), see als ...
, in which a Taliban insurgency
{{Infobox military conflict
, partof = the War in Afghanistan (2001–2021) and the Afghanistan conflict
, image = 2021 Taliban Offensive.png
, image_size = 300px
, caption = Map of the 2021 Taliban o ...
is fighting forces of the International Security Assistance Force
' ps, کمک او همکاري '
, allies = Afghanistan
, opponents = Taliban Al-Qaeda
, commander1 =
, commander1_label = Commander
, commander2 =
, commander2_label =
, commander3 =
, comman ...
. When she disappeared, Sarbi was in her second tour of duty in Afghanistan, having previously been deployed in 2007.[
]
Loss and rediscovery
Sarbi went missing after a joint Australian, American and Afghan vehicle convoy was ambushed by insurgents on 2 September 2008 during the Battle of Khaz Oruzgan
The Battle of Khas Oruzgan (2 September 2008) occurred when a combined Australian, American, and Afghan patrol was ambushed by up to 200 Taliban fighters near the village of Khas Uruzgan District, Khaz Oruzgan. The infamous battle was one of the ...
.[ Sarbi reportedly disappeared 'in the heat of battle' and was said by a Defence spokesperson to have vanished when a rocket exploded near her during the ambush.][ The ambush in which Sarbi went missing was the same action in which ]SASR
The Special Air Service Regiment, officially abbreviated SASR though commonly known as the SAS, is a special forces unit of the Australian Army. Formed in 1957, it was modelled on the Special Air Service, British SAS sharing the motto, "Who ...
Trooper Mark Donaldson
Mark Gregor Strang Donaldson, (born 2 April 1979) is an Australian soldier and a recipient of the Victoria Cross for Australia, the highest award in the Australian honours system. Then Trooper Donaldson was a member of the Special Air Service ...
became the first recipient of the Victoria Cross for Australia
The Victoria Cross for Australia is the highest award in the Australian honours system, superseding the British Victoria Cross for issue to Australians. The Victoria Cross for Australia is the "decoration for according recognition to persons w ...
, the first VC awarded to an Australian since 1969.[ Sarbi was declared MIA in September 2008, and while missing, the ]Special Operations Task Group
Special or specials may refer to:
Policing
* Specials, Ulster Special Constabulary, the Northern Ireland police force
* Specials, Special Constable, an auxiliary, volunteer, or temporary; police worker or police officer
Literature
* ''Specia ...
had made repeated attempts to find out what had become of her.[
Sarbi was rediscovered in November 2009 by an American soldier in north-eastern Oruzgan province, when he noticed Sarbi accompanying a local man.][ The soldier, only identified as 'John', was aware that the Australian forces were missing a dog, and determined through the use of voice commands that Sarbi was indeed a trained military dog.][ After being flown back to her Australian base in ]Tarin Kowt
Tarīnkōṭ ( prs, ترين کوت), also spelled as Tarin Kowt, is the capital of Uruzgan Province in southern Afghanistan in the Tarinkot District. Tarinkot city has a population of 71,604 (2015), with some 200 small shops in the city's bazaar ...
, handlers confirmed the dog was Sarbi.[
]
Reactions
The news of Sarbi's return had been released by the Department of Defence Department of Defence or Department of Defense may refer to:
Current departments of defence
* Department of Defence (Australia)
* Department of National Defence (Canada)
* Department of Defence (Ireland)
* Department of National Defense (Philipp ...
on Wednesday 11 November (Remembrance Day
Remembrance Day (also known as Poppy Day owing to the tradition of wearing a remembrance poppy) is a memorial day observed in Commonwealth member states since the end of the First World War to honour armed forces members who have died in t ...
), and generated worldwide media attention.[ The news was released on the same day as the Australian Prime Minister ]Kevin Rudd
Kevin Michael Rudd (born 21 September 1957) is an Australian former politician and diplomat who served as the 26th prime minister of Australia from 2007 to 2010 and again from June 2013 to September 2013, holding office as the leader of the ...
and the ISAF head General Stanley A. McChrystal
Stanley Allen McChrystal (born August 14, 1954) is a retired United States Army general best known for his command of Joint Special Operations Command (JSOC) from 2003 to 2008 where his organization was credited with the death of Abu Musab al-Zarq ...
were making a surprise visit to the Tarin Kowt base, leading to their meeting Sarbi in person.[ ]Brigadier
Brigadier is a military rank, the seniority of which depends on the country. In some countries, it is a senior rank above colonel, equivalent to a brigadier general or commodore, typically commanding a brigade of several thousand soldiers. In ...
Brian Dawson, Head of Defence Public Affairs, held a press conference about Sarbi.[
Prime Minister Rudd said of Sarbi's rediscovery:
]
Things like that, they may seem quite small, but in fact the symbolism is quite strong, and the symbolism of it is us out there doing a job...We haven't awarded any Australian Victoria Cross for 40 years. Trooper Donaldson stands out there as an Australian hero, and now his dog Sarbi back is home in one piece and a genuinely nice pooch as well.[
]
Retired Lieutenant Colonel
Lieutenant colonel ( , ) is a rank of commissioned officers in the armies, most marine forces and some air forces of the world, above a major and below a colonel. Several police forces in the United States use the rank of lieutenant colone ...
George Hulse, president of the Australian Defence Force Trackers and War Dogs Association, stated he and many others had "abandoned any hope" of finding Sarbi.[ On her return, Hulse described Sarbi as "an exceptionally good worker, very gritty dog and has found improvised explosive devices and she's saved quite a few lives in her work."][
Sarbi's handler ]Corporal
Corporal is a military rank in use in some form by many militaries and by some police forces or other uniformed organizations. The word is derived from the medieval Italian phrase ("head of a body"). The rank is usually the lowest ranking non ...
David Simpson, who was one of nine Australian soldiers injured in the ambush, was said to have never given up hope of finding her, and was profoundly relieved at her recovery, according to Hulse.[ The trainer who confirmed Sarbi's identity said "It’s amazing, just incredible, to have her back."][
Trooper Donaldson, who was in London to meet ]The Queen
In the English-speaking world, The Queen most commonly refers to:
* Elizabeth II (1926–2022), Queen of the United Kingdom and other Commonwealth realms from 1952 until her death
The Queen may also refer to:
* Camilla, Queen Consort (born 1947), ...
at the time of Sarbi's rediscovery, said that it "closed a chapter in their shared history" and "She's the last piece of the puzzle ... Having Sarbi 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."[
Brigadier Dawson said that the military would probably never know what had happened to Sarbi while she was missing, but said that her good health indicated somebody had been looking after her.][ A ]Queensland
)
, nickname = Sunshine State
, image_map = Queensland in Australia.svg
, map_caption = Location of Queensland in Australia
, subdivision_type = Country
, subdivision_name = Australia
, established_title = Before federation
, established_ ...
based trainer of a similar black Labrador explosive detection dog stated that it was probably due to the breed's excellent character that Sarbi had most likely been looked after by locals while missing, ensuring her survival.[ Misha Schubert the political correspondent for '']The Age
''The Age'' is a daily newspaper in Melbourne, Australia, that has been published since 1854. Owned and published by Nine Entertainment, ''The Age'' primarily serves Victoria (Australia), Victoria, but copies also sell in Tasmania, the Austral ...
'' jokingly questioned the official account that Sarbi's whereabouts while she was missing would never be known, suggesting she had been undercover on a secret mission, or that she had been captured by the Taliban as a prisoner of war
A prisoner of war (POW) is a person who is held captive by a belligerent power during or immediately after an armed conflict. The earliest recorded usage of the phrase "prisoner of war" dates back to 1610.
Belligerents hold prisoners of wa ...
, or had simply preferred to remain Absent Without Leave
Desertion is the abandonment of a military duty or post without permission (a pass, liberty or leave) and is done with the intention of not returning. This contrasts with unauthorized absence (UA) or absence without leave (AWOL ), which a ...
(AWOL).[
'']The Australian
''The Australian'', with its Saturday edition, ''The Weekend Australian'', is a broadsheet newspaper published by News Corp Australia since 14 July 1964.Bruns, Axel. "3.1. The active audience: Transforming journalism from gatekeeping to gatew ...
'' reported on 13 November that, according to "a senior Australian military officer who asked not to be named", that Sarbi, who had been wounded in the ambush, had in fact returned to a nearby ISAF forward operating base
A forward operating base (FOB) is any secured forward Operational level of war, operational level military position, commonly a military base, that is used to support strategic goals and tactical objectives. A FOB may or may not contain an airfi ...
, but was "chased away by Afghan guards".[
'']The Sunday Age
''The Age'' is a daily newspaper in Melbourne, Australia, that has been published since 1854. Owned and published by Nine Entertainment, ''The Age'' primarily serves Victoria, but copies also sell in Tasmania, the Australian Capital Territory ...
'' on 15 November questioned the timing of the original press release about Sarbi's rediscovery, claiming that it had been deliberately held back to coincide with Prime Minister Rudd's visit to Afghanistan so as to be able to give the story to accompanying reporters.[ This was based on the fact that Sarbi had been in the hands of Australian forces by at least 28 October based on ADF photos posted on their website on the day of Brigadier Dawson's news conference, and not the week of 1–7 November as released.][ They further pointed out that questions over the timing of the release by a reporter at the Brigadier's press conference were not corrected by him.][ An ADF spokesperson denied any link to the visit, stating the delay in releasing the news was due to "the need to confirm Sarbi's identity, physical condition and quarantine requirements for her return to Australia", details of which would be required by the media, that the reference to "last week" was correct at the time of the release's first draft and unfortunately not been subsequently updated before release, and that "Brigadier Dawson was not aware of the exact date of Sarbi's return and was therefore not in a position to be specific about it."][ Brigadier Dawson had at the time insisted that the timing of the announcement coinciding with Rudd's visit had been "pure ]serendipity
Serendipity is an unplanned fortunate discovery. Serendipity is a common occurrence throughout the history of product invention and scientific discovery.
Etymology
The first noted use of "serendipity" was by Horace Walpole on 28 January 1754. I ...
", and said "We needed to make sure that we had all our facts straight...(so) it's really just an accident".[
]
Repatriation
Sarbi was to undergo a period of quarantine
A quarantine is a restriction on the movement of people, animals and goods which is intended to prevent the spread of disease or pests. It is often used in connection to disease and illness, preventing the movement of those who may have been ...
, and be assessed for exposure to diseases, before a return date to Australia could be set.[ '']The Sydney Morning Herald
''The Sydney Morning Herald'' (''SMH'') is a daily compact newspaper published in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia, and owned by Nine. Founded in 1831 as the ''Sydney Herald'', the ''Herald'' is the oldest continuously published newspaper ...
'' reported that Sarbi had passed initial veterinary checks and would be retired on her return to Australia.[ Prime Minister Rudd stated he would be working with the ]Australian Quarantine and Inspection Service
The Australian Quarantine and Inspection Service was the Australian government agency responsible for enforcing Australian quarantine laws, as part of the Department of Agriculture.
Following a period operating under the name DAFF Biosecurit ...
(AQIS) to "ensure Sabi's eventual return to Australia."[ '']The Courier-Mail
''The Courier-Mail'' is an Australian newspaper published in Brisbane. Owned by News Corp Australia, it is published daily from Monday to Saturday in Tabloid (newspaper format), tabloid format. Its editorial offices are located at Bowen Hills, ...
'' reported that under AQIS rules, dogs would not normally be allowed entry to Australia directly from Afghanistan, but would rather have to spend six months in an intermediate approved country.[
After arriving back in Australia, there was much debate as to what would happen with Sarbi before Sarbi was eventually given to her former handler and his wife, retiring shortly after.] She also became a member of the Clayfield-Toombul Sub-Branch of the RSL. A dog park in the Brisbane suburb of Warner
Warner can refer to:
People
* Warner (writer)
* Warner (given name)
* Warner (surname)
Fictional characters
* Yakko, Wakko, and Dot Warner, stars of the animated television series ''Animaniacs''
* Aaron Warner, a character in ''Shatter Me s ...
was named in Sarbi's honour in February 2015.
Sarbi died as a result of a brain tumour on 27 March 2015. Her preserved remains were donated to the Australian War Memorial
The Australian War Memorial is Australia's national memorial to the members of its armed forces and supporting organisations who have died or participated in wars involving the Commonwealth of Australia and some conflicts involving pe ...
and placed on display in October 2016.
RSPCA Purple Cross Award
On 5 April 2011, Sarbi was awarded an RSPCA Purple Cross Award at the Australian War Memorial. The RSPCA Australia Purple Cross Award recognises the deeds of animals that have shown outstanding service to humans, particularly if they showed exceptional courage in risking their own safety or life to save a person from injury or death.
See also
* Dogs in warfare
Dogs in warfare have a very long history starting in ancient times. From being trained in combat, to their use as scouts, sentries, messengers, mercy dogs, and trackers, their uses have been varied and some continue to exist in modern military ...
* List of Labrador Retrievers
This list of Labrador Retrievers covers notable individual dogs that belong to this breed. The Labrador retriever is the most popular breed of dogs (by registered ownership) in both the United States and the United Kingdom. The breed is except ...
* List of war dogs
References
Further reading
Defence Department release about Trooper Donaldson, including details of the ambush
* {{cite book, last=Lee, first=Sandra, title=Saving Private Sarbi, year=2011, publisher=Allen & Unwin, location=Sydney, isbn=978-1-74237-557-1
External links
2002 animal births
2015 animal deaths
Individual dogs
Detection dogs
Military animals
Military operations of the War in Afghanistan (2001–2021) involving Australia
Missing or escaped animals
Collections of the Australian War Memorial
Military personnel missing in action