Gracie – a Tibetan Spaniel
owned by Donna C. Hamner of Northport, Alabama. In 2008, Gracie was nominated as an Exemplary Companion by the AKC “Awards for Canine Excellence.”
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Dogs have tremendous value as both service animals and companion animals. The story below demonstrates the contribution dogs make, and the deep emotional attachment between dogs and humans.
A fallen GI’s military dog started new life
Bo, a 2-year-old black Labrador, worked with Staff Sgt. Donald Tabb, 29, of the Military Working Dog section, 6th Military Police Detachment, 1st Battalion, 13th Aviation Regiment, Fort Rucker, Alabama. Tabb, serving his fourth deployment with the Combined Joint Special Operations Task Force in Afghanistan, died February 5, 2008, when his vehicle struck an improvised explosive device. Bo, though wounded in the explosion, survived and has since been adopted by Tabb’s family.
Tabb’s brother Willie Smith had to fight back fought back tears two months later, as he officially received the dog. “I just want to say, having Bo means a great deal to myself and my family,” he said.
“Mr. Smith, today you’ve agreed to take Bo into your home to be part of your family,” said Army Sgt. 1st Class Timothy Timmins, kennel master with the 6th Military Police Detachment. “You’re not just receiving a pet today. Bo is an outstanding soldier, and he served his country with distinction.”
“It’s impossible to spend two minutes with this dog without smiling at least once,” Timmins said. Of Tabb, Timmins added, “The one constant thing he would always tell me is how much everybody loved Bo. And I wholeheartedly believe that a dog takes on a personality of its handler … because everyone who knew Sgt. Tabb loved him too.”
Traditionally, a military working dog outranks the handler by one grade. Bo was officially retired as master sergeant. Tabb, an Atlanta native, was posthumously promoted to sergeant first class at a ceremony at the Gwinnett County Fallen Heroes Memorial.
The story of Bo, Sergeant Tabb, and Tabb’s brother Willie Smith was reported by CNN, the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, and the Atlanta NBC affiliate.
National Canine Research Council