Airman Had to Leave Her K9 Partner Behind, but Their Story Wasn’t Over

Some partnerships begin with an instant connection, while others are forged through moments that test just how much two lives can come to mean to each other. For Senior Airman Jenna Canada and military working dog Akim, their relationship took time to grow. What began as an uncertain pairing eventually became a bond Jenna could not imagine leaving behind. After serving together and facing a frightening medical emergency that nearly took Akim’s life, Jenna knew this dog was more than her working partner. He had become family. Credit: YouTube Jenna was paired with Akim after her first military working dog was medically unable to continue working. The transition was difficult. She was still missing the dog she had worked with before, and she and Akim did not immediately find their rhythm together. That changed dramatically after an ordinary moment turned into a terrifying emergency. Akim swallowed a bee and suffered a severe allergic reaction. The 70-pound dog suddenly became unresponsive, leaving Jenna to scoop his limp body into her arms and rush him to veterinary care. “Leaving him was the last thing I wanted to do,” Jenna later told MilitaryKind while reflecting on how deeply atta...