Liam Tasker and his bomb dog, Theo

It’s the story that moved the world.

Hours after Lance Corporal Liam Tasker was killed by a Taliban sniper in the Helmand province in March, Tasker’s faithful patrol dog Theo died of what many believe was a broken heart.

Now thanks to Tasker’s mother, Jane Duffy, Theo, a Springer Spaniel, has been shortlisted in the hero dog category of London’s Dog Trust Awards that take place in June.

Tasker, who hailed from Fife Scotland, and Theo, have been praised for saving thousands of lives during their five month tour of duty in the province, which saw them uncover a record number of hidden bombs and weapon caches in Afghanistan.

“They always give soldier’s an award, but the dogs never get one,” Duffy said.

“We felt it was really important Theo was recognized for doing something, so it is really good he has been shortlisted.”

“Without Theo, Liam wouldn’t have been able to do his job and without Liam, Theo wouldn’t have been able to do his. Together they saved thousands of lives – it was amazing, they did a really good job.”

Duffy, who backed a campaign by some of Tasker’s friends to get Theo nominated for the award, said that when she spoke to her son while he was serving in Afghanistan that Theo not only saved his life on a number of occasions, but “kept him sane”.

Story by Elaine Furst for Dog Files