# Another Bad Day



## Jon Harris (Nov 23, 2011)

My friend and fellow dog handler suffered the worst loss today. His partner Jimo's life ended

Steve was my armed escort when I go outside the wire. We worked together almost daily.

Jimo was lost not due to enemy action but due to a vet visit going wrong. The vet put the dog under and he never came back. The worst part is the whole thing was not needed at all. This was for a friggin xray. No reason to put the dog under. Steve lost it in the vets office and had to be removed after they stopped trying to revive Jimo.


Ive been a wreck ever since. At least more visibly than Steve and it wasnt even my partner. 

I wrote a little something I think to make me fell better . Im going to make a plaque and get it to steve
What I wrote is below

*I’m still here*

*Yes , I’m still here. You may not see me but *
*all the same I’ll never leave you. We were there together*
*in hard times. We shared to joys and the dangers.*
*I lead the way. You followed and watched my back.*
*I showed you where danger was. You read my silent*
*warnings. *
*Times were good. We were together through it all.*
*Now it is time for another to protect you, to love you,*
*to be your partner but I’m still here.*
*It may be a glimpse, or a shadow, a feeling you have.*
*I’m watching, I’ll keep you safe.*
*I’ll help your new partner learn the ways. I won’t let him fail.*
*You never failed me. *
*I’m waiting, I’m watching, *
*and when it is time to come join me,*
*I’ll still be here.*



I just needed to write something and this came out


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## Timothy Saunders (Mar 12, 2009)

very nice. your a good friend


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## Lee May (Jan 8, 2012)

So sorry for your loss!! hang in there.


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## Meng Xiong (Jan 21, 2009)

Sorry to hear about the loss. Stay strong and hang in there.


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## Lee H Sternberg (Jan 27, 2008)

I don't know what else to say....FUK, FUK, FUK. Sad!!!](*,)](*,)

My, Marine, kid gets deployed soon. I don't know where he will be. If he ends up close to you I will tell him to try to make contact.


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## Jackie Lockard (Oct 20, 2009)

Sorry to hear.


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## Lynn Cheffins (Jul 11, 2006)

So sorry for the loss of a good dog


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## kenneth roth (Jul 29, 2010)

I say drag them shitfuks to the street and beat their ass to china  but since u cant, your friend did a goodthing cussed them out, its their faulght  ..sorry for your loss it hurts :-(


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## Peter Cavallaro (Dec 1, 2010)

Holy faaaaaaark , i just made a thread on this very issue, walked away believing it was all in my head, guess not.

Sorry for yr loss. Whats the protocol for ga.

Disturbing and tragic, make some noise man, you might change protocol and stop the waste.

Stay safe, make it home.


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## Craig Snyder (May 7, 2012)

Sorry to hear about your partner's partner. 

It's always hard to lose any dog but I know those dogs in the military provide not only safety and protection to their human partner but they provide a foundation in a place where chaos is often the norm. The daily chores of feeding, watering, exercising, training, bathing, and the general care of the K9 gives a certain structure and purpose to the day. 

To have that yanked out from under you has to be devastating. Give your friend our sympathies and I hope you can help him through a trying period. Hopefully he'll be able to get a new partner soon. No dog can truly be really replaced, just as real friends can't be replaced. But new friends can be found and new partnerships, (k9), can be established.

Good luck! And stay safe!

Craig


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## susan tuck (Mar 28, 2006)

ah damn, I'm so sorry. "I'm still here" is incredibly moving, really kind of you to reach out and write that for your friend, let's him know he's not alone, someone truly understands the loss.

RIP Jimo


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## Connie Sutherland (Mar 27, 2006)

susan tuck said:


> .... "I'm still here" is incredibly moving, really kind of you to reach out and write that for your friend, let's him know he's not alone, someone truly understands the loss. ...



Yes.

My heart aches for your friend and for you.


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## Bob Scott (Mar 30, 2006)

Sorry for your loss! In your situation you expect the unexpected but not that! :-x


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## Sally Crunkleton (Jan 13, 2012)

So sorry for the loss of a great dog. Very nice what you wrote, I am sure it will help comfort your friend.


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## Martin Espericueta (Apr 1, 2006)

The situation just SUCKS! Sorry man...


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## Gillian Schuler (Apr 12, 2008)

Craig Snyder said:


> Sorry to hear about your partner's partner.
> 
> It's always hard to lose any dog but I know those dogs in the military provide not only safety and protection to their human partner but they provide a foundation in a place where chaos is often the norm. The daily chores of feeding, watering, exercising, training, bathing, and the general care of the K9 gives a certain structure and purpose to the day.
> 
> ...


I'm so terribly sorry. I think the above message says it all and I hope "I'm still here" will somehow help your friend get through this hard time.


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## rick smith (Dec 31, 2010)

great tribute Jon ... i know your feelings are hard to put in words

we've come a long way with remote DOD med care out in the field for our soldiers and have been able to save a lot of lives that would otherwise have been lost
- and there's lots more accountability than there used to be
- the same should hold true for mwd vet care for our four legged warriors 

hard to see how this can happen, and of course don't know details, but sure hope it gets the proper amount of attention as to why it did and not just passed off as an unfortunate unavoidable "accident"

i have dealt personally with 6-7 army mwd vets over the past few years ... most were great, but some were just punching a time clock, and imo shouldn't have been allowed to care for our nation's valuable canine warriors 

really sorry u and your bud have to deal with this horrible loss
RIP


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## Jon Harris (Nov 23, 2011)

I got him on the plane this morning.

He was on the flight yesterday but the remains did not arrive in time so he got off and refused to fly without his partner

He got out today to escort Jimo home and to report back to his original unit where he will be assigned another canine 


Yes there are lots of questions coming from pretty high up the food chain,.


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## Terrasita Cuffie (Jun 8, 2008)

What a god awful and useless way to lose a dog. Glad he has you to keep him from teetering off the edge and to see him through it. Nice to read the military is allowing him to escort him home.

Terrasita


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## Erica Boling (Jun 17, 2008)

*** Tears ****

 

OMG.. So, so sorry... Such heartache...


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## Nicole Stark (Jul 22, 2009)

Jon, first I wanted to say that I am sorry to hear about how Jimo was lost.

I think it offers us a glimpse into your character by you posting what you did about this matter. Nice job. I imagine you've been a good deal of support for Steve. There's something special about having good friends and people you know that will always have your back when you need them the most.


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## Jon Harris (Nov 23, 2011)

thanks but remember this is not about me.

Its about my military counterpart and friend. I'm heartbroken for his loss but it is him who is really suffering the loss. 
Jimo was a great dog. Like me, he did not keep Jimo in a kennel. He stayed with him in his room, just like Jack does with me.

The bonds are very close


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## Nicole Stark (Jul 22, 2009)

Alright, if it makes you feel better for me to comment otherwise then how about I say that FZUCKING sucks. Very unfortunate and certainly too bad for Jimo and Steve. I am sure there will be a time when the roles are reversed and you will understand why I said what I did originally. I don't know Steve and Jimo, they don't post here but if Steve had I would have said the latter.


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## Jon Harris (Nov 23, 2011)

thanks
it is appreciated


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## Edward Egan (Mar 4, 2009)

So sorry for you and your fellow solders loss. I hope better days come soon.


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## Lisa Brazeau (May 6, 2010)

Hey John,

Don't know if his partner was a malinois or not, but when ever I need something done at the vet on mine I remind them that she has such low body fat that they need to treat her like a greyhound - light on the anesthesia. Just an FYI you may be able to use in the future.

Sorry for your boy's loss. 

Lisa


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