Angela, a young sergeant in the U.S. Marine Corps, served in Japan with a sheepdog named Boji. They became very attached to each other, but two years later they had to separate. The girl missed her pet and was worried about her. One day she received a call from an organization that made her glow with happiness.

In 2018, Angela Cardone, a sergeant in the U.S. Marine Corps, was deployed to Iwakuni, Japan. Her faithful partner was a service dog, a 2-year-old Belgian shepherd named Bogi. It was the girl’s first service dog. With the dog, the girl patrolled and checked buildings and vehicles, and searched luggage and airplanes for potential threats.
Over the two years they worked together, the two became very close – there was an incredible bond between them. Sadly, the friends soon had to part ways – Angela was transferred to Honolulu, Hawaii, and had to leave her beloved service dog in Japan without even saying goodbye properly.

Angela said: “Initially, I was not excited to work with Bogi because she didn’t really know that many commands, she didn’t even know her name. But after a month of working with her I realised that we had the exact same personality, super clumsy, goofy, and we worked really, really well together. No matter what I could always depend on her for anything, she always put me in a better mood, and always shocked me when new training techniques started showing. She built my confidence as a dog handler and a person and I looked at her as my daughter.”

Their separation lasted more than a year, and all that time Angela missed her very much and couldn’t stop thinking about Boji. Not long ago, the management reported that Boji had broken her neck while in the service, causing her to be transferred early to a well-deserved “retirement.” Angela was upset for the dog, but there was happy news ahead.
The humane organization American Humane does good things, including reuniting K-9 veterans with their mentors. They also provide financial support for retired service dogs. After learning that Boji and Angela worked together, the organization asked the girl if she would like to take Boji in.

Angela lit up with happiness and immediately agreed! Boji was sent on a plane to Hawaii, and she met her future owner. Their meeting was incredibly touching – the doggie immediately recognized her mentor and started licking her. After some necessary procedures, Boji will be able to live with Angela, and now she can’t wait for that moment.

“I’ve been thinking about this pretty much since the day I left her but I never thought that this day would actually come. It’s a really heartwarming type of feeling.”