Sergeant Kyle Smith and his partner, a German Shepherd named Bodza, crossed paths while serving in the US Air Force.

Since 2006, Bodza has been dedicated to his job as a bomb detector, using his keen sense of smell to locate potential threats and save countless lives. In 2012, Smith joined Bodza’s team, and the two quickly formed a strong bond that would endure over time.

Smith shared with The Dodo that he was taught the value of persistence by his partner over the course of their numerous missions together. When retirement eventually arrived, Sergeant Smith decided to fully embrace his partner.

“I brought him home on the same day,” he remarked. “He seemed to be more loyal to his new surroundings,” Smith added. “He takes after me in every way. Every night he would snuggle next to my bed and bid me goodnight.”

Bodza’s retirement was a joyful period in his life until he received the diagnosis of degenerative myelopathy during the summer of 2016. According to Smith, he struggled with the physical strain and found using the restroom to be a tedious task.

Smith found themselves in a predicament…