By Connie Salmon, Published author, Connecticut.

Who is the best friend of Ukrainian children and soldiers alike? Patron, that’s who! And who is Patron? Patron is nine pounds of military might. He is a Jack Russell Terrier—the mascot of the Ukrainian State Emergency Services. 

Patron, the Mascot of the State Emergency Service of Ukraine. Photo credit: the State Emergency Service of Ukraine; dsns.gov.ua.

Mykhailo Llyev is the head of the pyrotechnic unit of the State Emergency Service of Ukraine. He bought Patron for his son when he was just a puppy. (The name comes from the Ukrainian word “patron,” meaning “bullet cartridge.”) The original plan was to train him to participate in dog exhibitions. But, at six-months-old, Patron showed the abilities of a sniffing dog. Mykhailo started taking him to work with him and gradually taught him how to recognize explosives by their smell. Patron has a keen sense of smell. And his size and weight make him ideal for getting into the small spaces the army needs for sniffing out bombs and mines. An antipersonnel mine will detonate with a weight of about 11 lbs. However, since Patron weighs only 8.8 lbs., he will not detonate the bomb.  

When the full-scale invasion of Ukraine by Russia started on February 24, 2022, Patron went to work. As of September of 2022, Patron had helped to find more than 300 enemy explosive devices!  

In May 2022, Patron became the face of the Ministry of Internal Affairs mobile application, “Deming of Ukraine.” This App allows citizens to quickly inform law enforcement agencies about discovered explosive objects. Also, it has a map of areas where unexploded shells and mines may be.  

On May 9, 2022, Patron was awarded the medal for “Dedicated Service” from the President of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelensky. And his owner, Mykhailo, was awarded the “Order for Courage.” That same month, the brave Jack Russell won the “Palm Dog” Award at the Cannes Film Festival in France. In November of 2022, Patron received the “Dog of Goodwill” title from UNICEF of Ukraine. He is the first dog ever to become a Goodwill Ambassador. He has also received lots of pats and praises from top politicians and celebrities from many nations.

The bomb-sniffing dog also made it to TV screens. Starting on January 7, 2023, supported by USAID and UNICEF, Patron stars in the animated series, “Pes Patron.” The main character tells children about the rules of mine safety and how to move around safely in a war zone. 

Today, you can see Patron’s image on candies, soft toys, pillows and T-shirts.       

Patron brings much comfort to Ukrainian children. He offers them companionship and emotional support during these challenging times. He reminds us, that even the smallest among us, can make a big difference.     

By Connie Salmon is originally from Puerto Rico. She now resides with her husband and their two pets in Rocky Hill, Connecticut. Patron Photo from the social media of the State Emergency Service of Ukraine; dsns.gov.ua.