A bomb-sniffing dog was brought in to present the ceremonial first puck drop at the Ducks vs. Flames hockey game on Sunday during Armed Forces Appreciation night at the Honda Center in Anaheim, California.
The pup, Corporal Nero, and his handler, Lance Corporal Brandon C. Benningfield, took the ice before the game, puck in mouth, to help honor both American and Canadian military members. At Benningfield's command, Nero dropped the puck and Duck's captain Ryan Getzlaf retrieved it before patting Nero on the head.
Corporal Nero was originally acquired by the Department of Defense in 2011 and completed their dog training school shortly thereafter.
Since joining the Marine Corps in 2012, Corporal Nero has been stationed at Camp Pendleton as a bomb-sniffing police officer. He has been involved in over 10,000 hours of operations in the two years he has been paired with Benningfield.
According to the Duck's announcer, Corporal Nero's favorite activities are:
- Finding bombs
- Having his ears scratched
- Playing fetch with Benningfield
Corporal Nero's puck drop propelled the Anaheim Ducks to a 4-1 win over the Calgary Flames.
