Dog Digs up Mortar in Charleston Backyard

Charleston, South Carolina A dog is being called a hero from his owner after digging up a WWI-era UXO in the yard of a North Charleston home. The North Charleston Police Department (NCPD) responded to a residence after a caller said his dog, Arthur, dug up what appeared to be a mortar.

Arthur's owner, Vincent Webb, said, "He came out, went to the bathroom, and started digging. When he started digging, I went over and looked at it, found out it was a World War I artillery shell."

Area residents were evacuated while the Charleston County Sheriff's Office bomb squad and Joint Base Charleston EOD worked to secure the ordnance. The specific identification of the mortar was not reported.

"This guy right here is basically my life and he saved his dad's life," Vincent told reporters. "All the times I dig out here because I have a garden here, I never knew it was there. I could have hit it with my shovel and detonated it. I'm just glad the hero here found it."

Editor's note - the bomb squad did not release the exact type of ordnance - it was likely a WWII item as the area previously served as a WWII era practice range.