Where one went, the other one wasn’t too far behind.
That was the special relationship between British army dog handler Liam Tasker and his devoted bomb sniffing dog, Theo.
And so it was till the end.
Shortly after Lance Corporal Liam Tasker was killed in a firefight with the Taliban, his partner Theo, a 22-month Springer Spaniel Cross, suffered a seizure and also passed away.
.
On Tuesday they took part in a mission in the Nahr-e Saraj district in Helmand where Theo’s task was to be the ‘front man’, sniffing out any hidden IEDs, weapons and bomb-making equipment.
But a firefight broke out with the Taliban and Tasker was killed.
After Tasker’s body was flown back to camp, his beloved Theo is thought to have died of a heart attack.
It was only last month that Tasker described his joy at the close bond he had developed with Theo.
‘I love my job and working together with Theo. He has a great character and never tires,’ he said in an interview on the Ministry of Defense website.
‘He can’t wait to get out and do his job and will stop at nothing,’ Tasker wrote.
Tasker joined the Army in 2001 as a vehicle mechanic in the Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers. But his passion for animals led to a transfer to the Royal Army Veterinary Corps in 2007.
He spent 15 weeks on a handlers’ course with Theo, where they learned to work as a team and developed their bond.
Major Caroline Emmett, Officer Commanding 104 Military Working Dog Squadron, summed up Tasker’s and Theo’s special relationship best by saying, “Liam and his dog Theo were made for each other.’
Oh how heartbreaking, RIP Liam & Theo you were both heroes
Rest in peace, brave Soliders. 🙁
im so sorry for the both of you….U are together forever…!
RIP – You are both brave hero’s to me – God Bless and Thank you
This is heartbreaking and heart-melting all at the same time. True love between animal and man.
So sad. RIP to two very brave soldiers
They should be laid to rest together. In death as in life. RIP
Uncondicional love. Amazing. Rest in peace my Angels.
True friendship……very sad story.
That’s my brother<3
May they be happy frolicking around heaven together!!God bless them both!!
This is why I am a vegetarian. All animals have souls.
All dogs and soldiers go to heaven.
I am so proud to have known that man! He was an amazing friend and was loved SO much by his family. A hero to us all. xx
so sad… my heart to them both
so heartbreaking – just another testament to the unconditional love from a dog to his owner – there is some solace in the fact that Lance Corporal Liam Tasker was there and waiting for Theo, as he crossed the Rainbow Bridge, and they are once again, together, forever – rest in peace brave soldiers
R.I.P. Brave soldiers. This story once again proves the unbreakable bond between a canine & his human.
So sad… they are now together forever in God’s garden….I love dogs…..so faithful to their masters.
Both heroes are now forever bonded!!! Soooo sad…both of them were so young, too!!!
RIP Liam and Theo. You are both heroes
So terribly sad…RIP dear souls, forever together now…
This is such a sad story. It just breaks my heart! God Bless Lance Corporal Tasker and his beloved protector Theo. People that don’t think animals have feelings can learn a lesson from this : )
Thank you for your service and duty to keep all of us free. Thank you Lance Corporal Tasker and Theo. Together forever.
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Truly man’s best friend they are. Great. God bless both of their souls.
Great…it’s tough to say something about this.