Humans love to be recognized with medals, trophies and applause, but our animal companions usually take a more laid‑back stance toward awards. Still, when a creature performs a feat of such daring that it saves lives or changes history, we can’t resist pinning a tiny medal on its chest. Below we count down the top 10 animals that have been honored by humans for extraordinary bravery and service.
Top 10 Animals With High Honors
10 Magawa
Rats rarely win the popularity contest when it comes to heroic accolades, yet Magawa, a giant pouched rat, was bestowed a gleaming gold medal for “lifesaving bravery and devotion to duty.” This unassuming rodent works the perilous front line of land‑mine clearance in Cambodia, using his keen sense of smell to locate explosives while his lightweight body ensures he never triggers them. In his career he helped clear an area equivalent to twenty football fields.
Cambodia’s landscape is scarred by millions of hidden mines, and thousands of civilians have perished in accidental detonations. Even the most advanced detection technology can be slow and hazardous. Magawa’s daily routine consists of a half‑hour sniff‑session each morning, rewarded with a modest treat, during which he uncovers mines that would otherwise keep his human handlers occupied for the entire day.
Now approaching retirement, Magawa is set to hand over the reins to a new generation of trained rats. Should they continue his stellar performance, more of these tiny heroes may soon find themselves wearing a gold medal of their own.
9 William Windsor
Not every animal honored by humans behaves like a textbook soldier, but the British Army’s 1st Battalion Royal Welch has a long tradition of adopting a goat as its mascot, a practice dating back to Queen Victoria. In 2001 the regiment received goat army number 25232301, affectionately known as William “Billy” Windsor, who was granted the rank of Lance Corporal.
With that rank, any soldier outranked by Billy had to stand at attention as he strutted by. However, his debut overseas was less than exemplary: during a parade he ignored a direct order and veered off‑line, leading to a demotion to Fusilier. He later reclaimed his original rank and eventually retired from service.
Beyond the honor of rank, Billy enjoyed unique perks: two cigarettes to chew on each day and a daily ration of Guinness. His story remains a whimsical reminder that even mascots can climb the military ladder.
8 Lucca
The Dickin Medal stands as the pinnacle of animal bravery awards, presented by the People’s Dispensary for Sick Animals (PDSA) to those who display extraordinary gallantry in wartime. Lucca, a United States Marine Corps dog, earned the distinction of being the first American canine to receive this British honor.
During six years of deployment in Afghanistan, Lucca participated in over 400 patrols, expertly sniffing out improvised explosive devices (IEDs) that threatened troops. On one mission she identified a massive 30‑kilogram device; moments later another detonated, inflicting burns and injuries on Lucca, ultimately resulting in the amputation of her front leg.
After recovery, Lucca was flown to London where she was presented with the Dickin Medal. She also received a Purple Heart from the United States for her combat injuries, presented in an informal ceremony by a Marine who himself had twice earned the award.
7 GI Joe
The first American recipient of the Dickin Medal dates back to World War II, when a pigeon named GI Joe saved more than a hundred Allied lives. During the rapid Allied advance through Italy, troops captured a village still under German control, risking friendly bombing because the airbase had no idea they were there.
With radio communications down, the unit turned to their last hope: pigeon USA43SC6390, nicknamed GI Joe. He made a 20‑mile flight back to the British 10th Army headquarters, delivering a message that halted the planned bombing just in time.
The citation accompanying his Dickin Medal read: “This bird is credited with making the most outstanding flight by a USA army pigeon in World War II, making the 20‑mile flight from British 10th Army HQ, in the same number of minutes, it brought a message which arrived just in time to save the lives of at least 100 Allied soldiers from being bombed by their own planes.” After the war, GI Joe enjoyed a long, happy retirement.
6 Kuno
Dogs have long been celebrated as humanity’s steadfast companions, especially on the battlefield where they often risk everything for their handlers. Kuno, a British special forces dog, faced a harrowing encounter with an al‑Qaida gunman during an assault on an insurgent compound.
While the Royal Navy’s Special Boat Service came under intense machine‑gun fire and grenade barrages, Kuno lunged at one of the gunmen, allowing his human teammates to secure their objective. He sustained gunshot wounds to both hind legs; one leg required amputation, and he became the first British forces dog to receive custom‑made prosthetic limbs.
Now retired, Kuno runs freely with his prosthetics and continues to inspire. He was awarded the Dickin Medal, with the British Defence Secretary noting that without Kuno, the outcome of the operation could have been dramatically different, emphasizing his life‑saving impact.
10 Ageless Animals That Do Not Grow Old
5 Reckless
The United States Marine Corps granted a single animal an official rank during the Korean War: a pack horse named Reckless, who rose to the rank of Sergeant. Reckless proved to be unusually clever, quickly mastering her training.
When fellow Marines shouted “Incoming!” Reckless instinctively sprinted for cover, learned to navigate barbed wire, and even lay down to dodge bullets. Her most remarkable feat came when she made 51 trips under heavy enemy fire, delivering ammunition and ferrying wounded soldiers back from the front lines, despite being wounded by shrapnel twice.
Her extraordinary bravery earned her two Purple Hearts, two Navy Presidential Unit Citations, a Navy Unit Commendation, four Korean Service medals, and a Marine Corps Good Conduct medal before she retired.
4 Sergeant Stubby
Not every military dog is a towering beast; Sergeant Stubby was a modest‑sized mixed‑breed who stumbled into service during World I after being found roaming Yale University’s campus. Smuggled aboard a transport ship, he earned his place when he saluted an officer, securing his spot in the 102nd Infantry Regiment.
During 18 months of combat across 17 battles, Stubby proved invaluable: his keen nose warned troops of incoming gas attacks, his bark alerted soldiers to German movements, and he served as a “mercy dog,” seeking out and comforting injured comrades on the battlefield.
After being wounded, Stubby survived the war, met Presidents Woodrow Wilson, Calvin Coolidge, and Warren Harding, and often led parades, proudly marching at the head of troops. His crowning honor was a promotion to Sergeant in the U.S. Army.
3 Tirpitz the Pig
During World I, many ships kept pigs aboard as a fresh source of meat, and one such swine found herself on the German cruiser SMS Dresden. When the vessel engaged in battle off the Falkland Islands and began sinking, most crew members abandoned ship, but Tirpitz the pig leapt into the sea and swam toward the British HMS Glasgow.
Spotted and hauled aboard the British ship, she was christened Tirpitz after the famed German admiral and awarded a mock Iron Cross for her loyalty in staying with the Dresden while her human crew fled.
Although she caused mischief—once breaking into a chicken coop during shore leave, requiring ten men to wrestle her back onto the Glasgow—she became a beloved mascot. Later, she was auctioned for 400 guineas, with proceeds benefiting the Red Cross, and after her death her stuffed head was displayed at the Imperial War Museum in London.
2 Bucephalus
Alexander the Great never did anything by halves, and his reverence for his legendary war horse, Bucephalus, was no exception. The untamed giant was initially offered to Alexander’s father, but only the young Alexander possessed the courage to tame him.
Impressed, his father proclaimed, “O my son, look thee out a kingdom equal to and worthy of thyself, for Macedonia is too little for thee.” From that moment, Bucephalus rode alongside Alexander through countless campaigns, becoming an inseparable companion on the battlefield.
When Bucephalus eventually died, Alexander ordered a grand funeral and founded a city—Alexandria Bucephalous—on the banks of the Indus River, ensuring his beloved horse’s memory would endure for centuries.
1 Cher Ami
In the chaotic, gas‑filled trenches of World I, communication failures could be deadly. When Major Charles White Whittlesaw’s 550‑man battalion was pinned down and their runners failed to reach friendly lines, they faced friendly artillery fire because the enemy could not locate them.
Turning to carrier pigeons—a vital wartime resource protected by strict British law—two were shot down before the final pigeon, Cher Ami, was dispatched with a desperate message: “We are along the road parallel to 276.4. Our own artillery is dropping a barrage directly on us. For heavens’ sake stop it.”
Despite being hit in the breast by German fire, Cher Ami managed to limp to safety, delivering the message that stopped the bombardment and saved over a hundred lives. Injured and left blinded in one eye with a severely damaged leg, she received intensive medical care, was awarded the French Croix de Guerre, and later flew to the United States after a ceremony with General John Pershing.