Leaving your beloved pet dog at home while you go off to work is tough for any animal lover. But imagine having to part with your furry friend for three long years. This heartrending situation became a reality for a US Army specialist, Vance McFarland.
A recent video clip beautifully captures the moment McFarland reunites with his canine companion, Ikar, after such a lengthy separation. This reunion has garnered significant attention online, touching the hearts of many. McFarland and 5-year-old Ikar were deployed to Afghanistan more than a decade ago.
Being a Czech Shepherd, Ikar was easily trained in tactical explosive detection. The two worked together and shared an unbreakable bond. After returning home, Ikar was sent to go through the Ted Program, after which he was sent to Afghanistan again.
When Ikar returned home, a private contract company took him away, saying they had some work for him. However, the company had no work for the dog and instead put him in a kennel. Although he was supposed to stay in the kennel for 4 or 5 weeks, Ikar had to stay there for 17 months.
According to the President of Mission K9 Rescue, Kristen Maurer, the contractor did not pay the kennel owner. Soon, Mission K9 Rescue and the US War Dog Association stepped in and rescued Ikar and 10 other canines to reunite with the soldiers they had worked with earlier.
According to Vance, having a dog in a foreign land is like having a part of your home with you. Other soldiers were envious of Vance and often searched for excuses to pat Ikar. The groups got together to search for McFarland. After waking up one morning, he found many messages on Facebook. The messages were from people asking him whether Ikar was his dog.
McFarland has other dogs at home, but he still got a special toy for Ikar when he met his canine pal after 3 years. It was an emotional reunion that Ikar deserved. So, watch this beautiful video and share it with others because stories of such reunion are seldom heard or seen.
