An emotional farewell ceremony was held in China to honor service dogs for saving lives and showing bravery in dangerous situations. This was reported by Zamin.uz.
Four service dogs were officially retired after many years of dedicated service and were handed over to new families. This information was provided by the South China Morning Post.
At the ceremony, the ten-year-old Belgian Malinois Matt, who helped catch fraudsters in 2017; the ten-year-old Cocker Spaniel Kerry, who served as a sapper; the ten-year-old Malinois Majingtian, who rescued three people during a typhoon; and the eight-year-old Labrador Retriever Eli, who gained experience in detecting explosives, said goodbye to their handlers. The ceremony was broadcast online and was attended by over three million viewers.
The most touching moment during the farewell was when Eli ran towards his trainer. The dog slipped out of the leash and approached his handler, bringing tears to the eyes of the participants.
One of the attendees said, “Seeing Eli run to his trainer moved my heart. I realized the strong bond between these four dogs and their handlers.”
In China, service dogs undergo a rigorous selection and training process. The selection process lasts one to two years, and they are prepared to serve in the navy, air force, or police units.
Later, they serve for five to eight years. Retired dogs are given new homes.
Volunteers or former trainers take them in. In this way, the heroic dogs step into a peaceful life, but their courage and loyalty are always remembered by the people.
