By JACK GARLAND, Associated Press Writer

LONDON – Buster, a 6-year-old Springer spaniel, earned more than a pat on the head Tuesday when he was awarded Britain’s highest animal bravery medal for his role in breaking a resistance cell in Iraq.

The British army canine received the Dickin Medal at a ceremony at London’s Imperial Museum for discovering a cache of weapons and explosives in Safwan, southern Iraq, in March.

Buster’s handler, Sgt. Danny Morgan, said the building was thought to be the headquarters of extremists responsible for attacks on British forces, but that soldiers searching it had found nothing.

He said Buster, however, persisted, eventually stopping and staring at a wardrobe. When the wardrobe was moved a piece of tin fell from the back, revealing a cavity.

Inside were Russian AK47 assault rifles, a pistol, six grenades, ammunition, 4.4 pounds of cocaine and propaganda material.

Morgan, 38, who is based at the military dogs’ training school in Aldershot, southern England, said it was “fantastic” for Buster to be recognized for succeeding where humans had failed.