Dog digs up World War II grenade in yard

ORLANDO, Fla., April 27 (UPI) -- An 8-month-old pit bull who likes to dig found an exciting toy buried in his owner's Florida backyard -- a hand grenade, or possibly a replica of one.

Vivian Rogers, 30, spotted the item as she raked the yard at the Orlando home she's owned since January, the Orlando Sentinel reported.

Her dog, named Fifty, had scattered garbage all over the yard. Among the usual waste was a rusted, greenish object with what appeared to be a pin at the top.

It was small enough to fit in her hand.

Rogers called her father who, after years of viewing war movies, surmised it was a grenade and said to call 911.

Firefighters evacuated the neighborhood and called out the bomb squad, which lowered the object into a "bomb trailer" -- something like a giant soup pot, but made from steel -- Assistant Chief Greg Hoggatt said.

Hoggatt said it made no difference whether the grenade was real or just a replica.

"For our purposes, if it looks like one, it is one," he said.

Firefighters gave the possible grenade to military officials, who typically destroy explosives by blowing them up.