The Retired Military Dog Reunites with The Handler in New Mexico

Jenna Canada, a senior airman with the U.S. Air Force and former handler of Akim, said, “I feel like even if he didn’t have his accident, we’d still have a really good bond.”

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — A military dog will now be calling New Mexico home and won’t do it alone. Akim was reunited with his former handler Tuesday morning in northeast Albuquerque.

He’s a 10-year-old German shepherd with a lot of experience. The canine not only specialized in finding drugs but also served in the U.S. military.

“It’s a crazy bond. It’s something that I would never have predicted it to be,” said Jenna Canada, a senior airman with the U.S. Air Force.

Canada was one of Akim’s handlers.

The duo met in South Korea back in November 2020. She said it was a slow bond at first but eventually turned into a true friendship. “We’ve had our ups and downs and everything like that,” Canada said. “Things slowly started to improve as a team after a few months. Then we finally made it to our validations, and we made it through our certification.”

However, one day, after Akim was stung by a bee, things took a scary turn. At first, the canine was fine. Then, five minutes later, he stopped breathing.

Canada said, “There were no veins at all, so there was no blood flow going through him. His gums were completely pale, and he wasn’t blinking or anything, so he was pretty much gone.”

Thankfully, with quick action and help from a nearby veterinarian, Akim survived.

A time Canada still remembers to this day. “No words could explain how I was feeling at that moment,” she said. “I wasn’t crying at first. I was just like, ‘Oh my God. Like, I need this dog to live.'”

The pair were eventually disconnected for over a year after Canada was reassigned to Kirtland Air Force Base.

Until Tuesday’s special reunion at an Albuquerque home, the moment was all thanks to the help of American Humane, a national organization specializing in bringing military dogs back home.

“We started our work with the military way back in World War II when we rescued injured horses from the battlefield. So we’re continuing that relationship with the military by helping bring home retired military working dogs so they can be reunited with their handlers,” Dr. Amy Hrin, national director of military affairs at American Humane, said.

The team members were just some of the few to witness the special homecoming. Hrin said, “It is such an honor to be able to do this kind of work and see Akim a hero in his own right; he’s protected our country, kept us safe.” “So to bring him home to the retirement he deserves is so powerful.

“As for Akim, it’s time for a life of dog treats and adventures. With a loving companion by his side.