In 2012, Japan’s Akita Prefecture presented Russian President Vladimir Putin with a female Akita Inu puppy named Yume—meaning “dream”—as a gesture of thanks for Russia’s support after the 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake and tsunami. The gift symbolized friendship and solidarity, linking the Akita breed’s homeland to international goodwill during a time of crisis. Four years later, in December 2016, Yume unexpectedly stole the spotlight during a formal Kremlin interview when Putin brought her in