When you bond with a dog you become their entire world. They love you, cherish you, and would protect you to the death. People don’t deserve the kindness that dogs show them. All dogs ask in return is that you love them back. The same bond can be found in some dog trainers and their trainees. Especially when the training is an intense experience like military training.

This military trainer, in particular, did not take the loss of her trainee very easily when his life was tragically cut short.

Stephanie Pecovsky, a dog trainer in the United States Air Force, bonded particularly deeply with PPatriot, a Belgian Malinois from the Lackland Air Force Base.

Pecovsky told WALB News 10 that fostering PPatriot was the highlight of her career as a dog trainer with the Air Force.

She knew PPatriot would be quite a handful when his first foster family returned him after just two weeks. Pecovsky reported that PPatriot was not the most well-behaved dog as he would often go from a peaceful nap to destroying his toys inside the house.

Despite his hyper nature, Pecovsky was able to get PPatriot well-trained and ready for duty. PPatriot ended up with the Marine Corps and reported to his first duty station in North Carolina, according to Pecovsky.

Pecovsky had done such an amazing job that he was featured in a book by Jeff Kamen.

His first handler in the Marine Corps would actually send Pecovsky pictures of PPatriot and keep her updated on how he was doing. However, after the kennel in North Carolina closed, PPatriot and the other dogs were given new assignments at new facilities.

PPatriot ended up at a Marine Corps Logistics Base in Albany, Georgia.

If you’ve been to Georgia in the summer months, you will know that is it unbearably hot.

The Humane Society of North Georgia has an entire section of their website dedicated to keeping dogs safe in the Georgia heat.

On September 5, Pecovsky was informed that PPatriot had been found dead in a tunnel. It appeared he had been left outside by his handlers and had been searching for a way to escape the heat.

Pecovsky is now bringing attention to the devastating situation as PPatriot had trusted his handlers and this was not the way he should have left this world.

Pecovsky said, “This is something only a small percentage will understand. Most would say ‘it’s just a dog.’ They’ll feel bad for a minute then continue on – and that’s okay. Because the small percentage won’t.”

She has encouraged her users to share her post and use the hashtag, #JusticforPPatriot and it seems to be working.

PPatriot’s death is currently being investigated by the Marine Corps Logistics Base.

“It has since taken off, and to be honest, I am very grateful for it because this isn’t something that we just want to sit back and not necessarily forget about, but I don’t want to just sit back and say ‘someone’s gonna take care of it,’ and not follow up. So, we are just going to see it through follow up and that there is justice for PPatriot,” said Pecovsky to WALB.

Read her post below.

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Sources: Humane Society of North Georgia, WALB, Stephanie Pecovsky