Saying goodbye to a beloved pet is never easy. In fact – and this is speaking from experience – it’s one of the hardest things you will ever have to do.
Sargeant Kyle Smith and his partner, a German Shepherd named Bodza met together while serving in the US Air Force. Bodza had worked as a bomb detector since 2006, and he helped save human lives by sniffing bombs. In 2012, Smith started working with Bodza and the two quickly formed a strong friendship.
” I loved working with him because he taught me a lot – patience as a young handler, and how to understand that this job isn’t just about you,” Smith told. “Bodza was a goofy and gentle dog. We had horse stables directly beside our obedience yard and when [the horses] were out, no obedience was going to be done. He’d run the fence line continuously.”
He was with them, overcoming all the difficulties and challenges. Let’s help people together and get things done.
“Great team effort to all the Officers on scene and especially K9 Hunter who prevented the Officers involved from being further attacked and/or injured,” the department wrote at the time.
However, now they have to say goodbye to the dog – their friend, and co-worker. They placed him on a blanket and he passed away peacefully in the arms of his owner.
“I was holding Bodza as he passed,” Smith said. He had a smile on his face when he was getting put to sleep. “It was a rush of so many things. As was fitting, the airmen draped Bodza in an American flag after his ᴅ.ᴇ.ᴀ.ᴛ.ʜ giving him a true hero’s goodbye.
The dog (ᴘᴀssᴇᴅ ᴀᴡᴀʏ) after working alongside police officers to keep the streets safe and after giving his partner a strong friendship. Every day, police officers around the country have to say goodbye to their partners. Whether they’re leaving the force or they’ve (ᴘᴀssᴇᴅ ᴀᴡᴀʏ), it’s always hard to bid farewell to someone you’re so close with. Police officers often sᴀᴠᴇ their partners’ lives — many have done so multiple times. For some officers, though, the partnership is a little different.