Eastbourne woman adopts former explosives sniffer dog from Afghanistan

An Eastbourne woman has taken in a former explosives sniffer dog which was saved from Afghanistan.

Caroline Keighley-Elstub adopted Penny at the start of the month after she was evacuated from Afghanistan on the last British plane leaving the country.

Penny had been working as a sniffer dog at the British embassy in Kabul and Miss Keighley-Elstub said she got the animal as her brother-in-law, who used to serve in the army, helped get people and dogs out of the country amid conflict with the Taliban.

She said, “His role was to take back the British workers.

“He could put in a couple of dogs each time. He has rehomed them all.”

Miss Keighley-Elstub said Penny, 5, had a number of jobs in Afghanistan as she served as a trained sniffer dog.

“She can sniff 17 explosives, so when I take her out she is constantly sniffing everywhere.

“She has saved many, many lives in Afghanistan.”

According to Miss Keighley-Elstub, the Springer Spaniel had not seen grass or the sea before coming to Eastbourne.

Penny is currently the mascot for an Eastbourne project that is raising money for the Royal British Legion.