The people who serve in the military deserve all the appreciation that can be given to them. They selfishly lay their life on the line to preserve peace and freedom for our country. And fighting right next to these courageous souls are the bravest dogs that you will ever know. Thanks to dogs like Lyka, the lives of many American soldiers were saved in combat.
Man down
Lyka is a specially trained Belgian Malinois that served with the US military in Afghanistan. During one of their operations, Lyka did one of the most heroic acts that a dog can do. Despite being shot four times, she still mustered the strength and courage to attack the shooter and subdue him. Her actions saved the lives of her handler, Staff Sgt. Julian McDonald and the rest of the members of their team.
Lyka sustained life-threatening injuries. The team had to rush her to medical care to save her life. It took several hours to treat her extensive injuries. After seven hours of surgery, Lyka was saved, but they had to amputate one of her legs. Because of this, Lyka was forced to retire from service. She was also awarded the American Humane Military Hero Award for her heroic act.
Lyka’s new forever home
Staff Sgt. McDonald decided that Lyka deserved to go to a happy home after all she has done for him. He decided to adopt Lyka and give her all the love that she could get. There was one issue that was preventing him from adopting Lyka. The military administration was hesitant to release Lyka to the soldier because they think she might be too aggressive for a home with kids.
But Staff Sgt. McDonald knew better. He fought hard to adopt Lyka, and fortunately, he got the approval. And as Staff Sgt. McDonald knew, the dog bonded with his family easily. Lyka allowed the child to touch her and play with her. Now she is in a loving home surround by people that adore her. She even helps Staff Sgt. McDonald in training new dogs for the military.
Source: National Geographic via Youtube
