A dog dressed in a costume takes part in the Pet's Halloween Day parade at El Olivar Park in San Isidro, Lima, October 31, 2015. (Photo by Mariana Bazo/Reuters)

This is one boy's amazing picture diary of his pet rodents doing very human tasks. Colin Mclaughlin, from Maryland, USA, has created a hilarious photo collection of his pet guinea pigs, Chester and Sam. (Photo by Colin Mclaughlin/Caters News)

A man sits with his pet monkey, as they seek charity from passersby, along a road amidst rainfall during the monsoon season in Hyderabad, Pakistan on August 24, 2022. (Photo by Yasir Rajput/Reuters)

A worker paints the face of a realistic pet plushie, at the Pampanga Teddy Bear Factory, in Angeles City, Pampanga province, Philippines on March 10, 2023. (Photo by Lisa Marie David/Reuters)

A cat with a “stegosaurus spine” design cut into its fur is seen next to a dog at a pet shop, in Tainan, Taiwan June 19, 2016. Lee Mei-chen, Taiwanese hairdresser turned pet groomer, shaves paw prints, lion faces and characters from Japanese brand Hello Kitty on to animal backs. The teddy bear design is one of the most complex in the furry repertoire. Photo by Tyrone Siu/Reuters)

Throughout the course of the long war in Afghanistan, Coalition troops have relied on thousands of military working dogs to help keep them safe, and make their jobs easier. The dogs are trained to detect explosives, to find illegal drugs, to search for missing comrades, or target enemy combatants. Not only are they active on the front lines, but behind the lines they serve as therapy dogs, service dogs, and loyal companions. They also share the same risks as the ground troops, suffering injuries and sometimes death on the battlefields. Gathered here are images of these dogs and their handlers in Afghanistan and back home, from over the past several years, part of the ongoing series here on Afghanistan.

Carlos Melendez prepares to feed his pet squirrel “Colita” in downtown San Salvador January 29, 2015. (Photo by Jose Cabezas/Reuters)

Musafir, a pet monkey, eats sweets on a pavement in Kolkata, India, June 9, 2016. (Photo by Rupak De Chowdhuri/Reuters)