Two Retired Military Dogs Were Adopted By Their Former Handlers After Years Of Being Separated
Many people who have served in the armed forces or their local police or fire department alongside remarkable service dogs are heartbroken when they can no longer work with their special furry friends for one reason or another.
However, there are instances where the unwavering dedication of volunteers and the undeniable bond between handlers and their dogs lead to heartwarming reunions.
Recently, one organization managed to reunite two retired military dogs with their former handlers years after they were separated.
U.S. Marine Corps veterans Dalton Stone and Sergeant Isaac Weissand met while serving in Japan. They became fast friends and eventually worked together as K-9 handlers.
Dalton worked with a special German shepherd named Aida, a narcotics detection and patrol dog, for around four years. She is currently six years old.
Isaac worked with the wise Poker, another German shepherd who worked as an explosives detection and patrol dog. He’s six years old as well.
After working as a close group of four in Japan for over two years, in 2022, Isaac and Dalton had to sadly part ways with the dogs. Dalton decided to leave the Marine Corps, and Isaac had been assigned to another base.
The dogs stayed at their base in Japan and worked with different handlers while Dalton and Isaac moved to Texas, where they currently live just a few hours apart. However, the dogs always stayed on their minds.
When Dalton and Isaac found out through a friend that Aida and Poker were retiring from service this year, they immediately filed adoption applications so they could be their forever owners.
Pixel-Shot – stock.adobe.com – illustrative purposes only, not the actual person or dog
Thanks to the hard work of the animal organization American Humane, Dalton and Isaac were not only quickly approved as Aida and Poker’s owners but were reunited with them by May.
Workers at American Humane had to make many arrangements in order to reunite these dogs with Daltona and Isaac.
They worked hard to fly the dogs from Japan to California, then to Dallas, Texas, before being driven to Tyler, where Dalton and Isaac were waiting for them.
Because of American Humane’s commitment to giving retired service dogs the best life they can have, they covered all the dogs’ travel costs and offered to assist with their vet bills for the rest of their lives.
“It was an honor to help two best friends bring their other best friends home,” stated American Humane CEO Dr. Robin Ganzert in a press statement.
“All four of these military heroes deserve our gratitude and support after serving our country.”
We’re so thrilled to see Dalton, Isaac, Aida, and Poker live out their happily-ever-afters and make some sweet memories together after years of admirable service.
Thank you to everyone who was able to reunite these men with their faithful dogs!
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