Rufus (ap)
Rufus, a hero dog who saved 50 GIs from a suicide bomber in Afghanistan, was honored by the Animal Medical Center last night at a charity event at the American Museum of Natural History.
Some 500 guests hailed Rufus at a cocktail reception and dinner during the 100-year-old center’s Centennial Top Dog Gala.
The annual event honors service dogs who go beyond the call of duty.
In February, Rufus — along with Sasha and Target, two other strays taken in by US soldiers — barked at and bit a Taliban fighter who was attacking an Army barracks in Paktia province.
The startled terrorist detonated his bomb early, only injuring five soldiers.
Sasha died in the blast.
Rufus was injured and sent in July to live with his handler, Sgt. Chris Duke, in Atlanta. Target was also adopted, but was accidentally euthanized after straying from his Arizona home.