It’s a heartwarming sight to see a soldier reunited with a loved one. In this case, a soldier reunites with the dog he worked with years earlier. Yyacab, an 8-year-old Belgian Malinois, was an explosives detection and patrol dog. Now, he is back together with his former handler, US Army Staff Sergeant Payton May.
Dogs have served alongside the American military since its origin. However, the Army K-9 Corps was created in 1942. Today, man’s best friend serves alongside military members, supporting and assisting in the mission.
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Yyacob and SSG May served together for two years, nine months of which they spent together in Iraq. The week before Thanksgiving, they were finally reunited in San Antonio, Texas, after years apart.
During his seven years as a military working dog, Yyacob protected service members, civilians, and even US presidents. “We are grateful for the opportunity to bring military working dog Yyacob home and reunite him with his best friend,” shares Dr. Robin Ganzert, President and CEO of American Humane. “American Humane is honored to help give this courageous canine the comfortable retirement he deserves after seven years of distinguished service to our country.”
American Humane is the first national humane organization in the United States and the world’s largest certifier of animal welfare. The organization pays for the transportation costs of the reunification and provides free veterinary care for the rest of Yyacob’s life.
Together, the two completed the Patrol Explosive Detection Dog Enhanced Course, an elite advanced program for police patrol and explosive detection dogs. When SSG May first met the caine, his first thought was, “this dog is nuts” but before long he grew to adore him.
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While in Iraq, the two were together 24/7, sharing a room and even sleeping in the same twin-sized bed. SSG May describes the dog as a “big baby” who loves to cuddle and hog the bed. As you can imagine, a military dog must be close to the handler to take the mission seriously and protect those around them.
SSG May and Yyacab said goodbye in 2020 when May was reassigned to Joint Base San Antonio - Lackland in Texas. He was heartbroken to have to say goodbye to his beloved partner.
May recently learned that Yyacob was retiring from the military. He reached out to American Humane after hearing they had helped a friend reunite with his military dog. And that’s precisely what happened. SSG May and Yyacob are together once again.
“It fills my heart,” SSG May says in an ABC World News Tonight clip. As the soldier reunites with his dog, you can feel the joy coming from both of them being back together again. SSG May was very thankful to have Yyacob back by his side this Thanksgiving and beyond.
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“Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their labor” - Ecclesiastes 4:9
h/t: Good News Network
Featured Image Credit: Facebook/ABC World News Tonight with David Muir