This week, U.S. Army Staff Sergeant Payton May was reunited with a Belgian Malinois named Yyacob, a now-retired military dog the sergeant used to handle before being reassigned to another base in 2022.
When May found out Yyacob was retiring after seven years of service, knew he wanted to try to adopt the dog, whom he calls his “best friend.” May reached out to American Humane, an animal welfare organization known for reuniting Military Working Dogs with former handlers, for assistance – and the group came through.
After two-and-a-half years apart, the pair were reunited on Monday, just in time for the holidays.
Chris Saucedo/Getty Images for American Humane
May and, Yyacob, an explosives detection and patrol dog, served together for nine months in Iraq. They would check anyone entering the base for ammunition or explosives, and also carried out patrols and scanned vehicles…
