Sergeant Kyle Smith and his partner, a German Shepherd named Bodza, crossed paths while serving in the US Air Force.
Since 2006, Bodza had dedicated himself to the role of a bomb detector, utilizing his exceptional sense of smell to locate potential threats and save countless lives. In 2012, Smith joined Bodza’s team, and their connection quickly grew into a deep bond that would withstand the test of time.
Smith shared with The Dodo that his partner had taught him the value of perseverance throughout their many missions together. When retirement eventually approached, Sergeant Smith made the decision to fully embrace his loyal companion.
“I brought him home on the very same day,” he recalled. “He seemed to adapt quickly to his new surroundings,” Smith continued. “He mirrors my behavior in every way. Every night, he would snuggle up beside my bed and bid me goodnight.”
Bodza’s retirement was a joyful phase of his life until he received the diagnosis of degenerative myelopathy during the summer of 2016. According to Smith, he began to struggle with the physical toll and found even using the restroom to be a challenging task.
