BOERNE, Texas – After spending two years apart, U.S. Army Sgt. Jake Ferkin was reunited with his best friend in Boerne, Texas, after being separated in 2018.
The reunion took place at 11 a.m. Saturday at Veterans Plaza in Boerne.
Retired military working dog Iskra, a 10-year-old Czech Shepherd and a patrol and explosive detection dog, worked alongside Ferkin in February of 2016, according to Mission K9 Rescue.
“I am so excited and thankful to be reconnected with Iskra.” Ferkin said. “I cannot wait for her to be able to enjoy her retirement and have her take her place on Fort Couch.”
The pair trained for three months before being deployed on missions to New York, Jerusalem, and Sicily. Ferkin said he got to “see the world with his best friend.”
After Ferkin and Iskra’s deployments, they were then tasked to go to Iraq, where they spent most of their time together, according to Mission K9 Rescue. However, it wasn’t until 2018 that both of them were separated.
Now that Iskra has retired, Mission K9 Rescue picked her up in Ft. Myer, Virginia, and drove her 1,600 miles to be reunited with Ferkin.
“It is important to honor and protect all of our military heroes; both two and four-footed,” said Mission K9 Rescue in a statement.
The pair was reunited Saturday afternoon. Happy retirement, Iskra!
To learn more about Mission K9 Rescue, click here.