Although many of us think of soldiers as men and women, it’s not just humans who put their lives on the line. These dogs are some of the most loyal and brave animals around, but the best thing about being a soldier is being able to go home to their loved ones. Keep watching for stories of these beautiful reunions. A war dog loses a leg to a bomb blast. Being at war is always dangerous with so many chances of getting hurt. Just one small mistake as this dog would discover Luca was an 8 year old German Shepherd who specialized in sniffing out bombs.
In 2012 she was sent on a mission with her new handler, Corporal Juan Rodriguez, to lead a patrol in Helmand province in Afghanistan.
During the mission, Luca alerted Rodriguez to a bomb and ran off in search of more, but little did she know that things were about to get worse as she ran out, Luca set off a second bomb that blew her up and seriously. Injured her, luckily the dog managed to get to Rodriguez, who quickly used a tourniquet to stop the bleeding and pull their to safety.
Unfortunately, Lucas left front leg had been severely damaged by the bomb and had to be amputated with such an injury. There was only one place left for him to go home. Although Corporal Rodriguez was his handler at the time of the mission, Luca began his life as a soldier with someone else, gunnery Sergeant Chris Willingham. Luca and Willingham became a team in 2006 when Luca was just two years old. Part of the first Marines working dog platoon.
Once the two were assigned, the Sergeant immediately set to work to create a strong bond with the animal from long walks. In obedience training to grooming and play, our bond was very strong, Willingham said. Over time Luca was trained to detect weapons, ammunition and explosives which made him a valuable member of the team. Six years after joining, Willingham was assigned to a station in Finland, so he had to leave Luca behind, but he never stopped thinking about him.
They had planned to adopt the German Shepherd when he finally retired from active service. This came a little sooner than expected.
After receiving the call that the dog had been injured shortly after, Luca recovered from surgery, Rodriguez and Willingham made plans for the animal to be reunited with his former handler in Finland. the US ambassador even helped arrange transport when Luca finally arrived in the country. Willingham, his wife, and two children were waiting for him at Helsinki airport nervously.
Willingham wondered if his friend would remember him, the Sergeant. Helped down so that he was at eye level with the dog and waited anxiously I could see him come out. He recalled. I called his name and he lost his head and came running to me and jumped on me and licked my face. Luca now lives a happy and relaxed life with a Williams, and often makes appearances at local schools and community events.
Four years after his ordeal, the German Shepherd was awarded the Dicking medal, the animal equivalent of the UK’s Victoria Cross. And although Chris Willingham was proud of his achievement, he was more grateful to have his best friend, home, safe and sound. When people decide to become soldiers, they have to spend a lot of time away from home. They often leave their loved ones behind. Look at this dog’s reaction when he finally sees his owner again.
A soldier returns home after basic training with a dog. One of the first things to do when you become a soldier is to complete your basic training. This is a period of time where there are taught teamwork and discipline, as well as how to handle weapons and everything they need to know to become a full member of the army. Yes, it takes a lot of time, dedication and effort to complete this training.
And while adults are able to understand the sacrifices involved in military service, it is not so easy for children with pets to understand why their loved one is leaving.
That’s why this video of a dog being reunited with his owner is all the more touching when this young girl was finally able to come home after almost a year of basic training, she couldn’t wait to see her dog again, but it is the dog’s reaction that really shows how much she misses her arriving home. Soldier kneels on the floor, waiting for her dog’s reaction, but it was not as she thought.
Instead of pouncing on her and showering her with hugs and kisses, the dog scurries around the woman unsure and fearful of who this supposed stranger is. But what happened next was truly beautiful. After what must have been a heartbreaking couple of minutes, the animal gets close enough for the owner to give him lots of affection.
That’s all it took for the puppy to finally recognize who the woman was. Realizing that she was his owner and that she had returned home after months of absence, the dog was quick to express his joy by jumping on her and giving her lots of Cuddles, a very touching welcome. But it’s not just dogs that get excited when they’re human returns from service, as the following story shows, this cat gets excited when the soldier comes home. When we think of cats, we often think of them as rather aloof and uninterested in us.
Some people might even say that they don’t care about us at all. Well, this Kitty has proven them very wrong. Nick was a U.S. Army soldier whose deployment was finally over, and when he returned home, he got a brilliant welcome. The video of his return shows his furry cat named Finn, meowing. Repeatedly, when he hears a noise downstairs, excited Finn can’t help but express his happiness as he guesses who has finally come home. When Nick enters the flat, the animal quickly sniffs the belongings in his hand before leaping into his arms.
The fluffy animal lies in Nick’s arms, purring and expressing his joy and having Nick back.
The heartwarming video has been so well liked that it has garnered more than 12 million views on YouTube. While this may seem a little unusual, doctor Stephen Sawatsky, scientific adviser to the ASPCA, says this type of homecoming may be more common than we think. That’s because cats form stable groups, often involving the people who care for them. But one thing is for sure, this video shows us how much our cats love us, even if they don’t show it all the time.
But now back to the dogs. When this soldier was forced to retire, he was worried he would never see his best friend and companion again. Watts to discover this story of how the two met again. The surgeon’s dog is reunited with his owner. It was a sad day when Sergeant Jason Botts left Forley, Virginia, where he had to say goodbye to the chocolate colored bomb sniffing Labrador he called Cici. For more than five years they worked together, forming a bond that made them inseparable from searching for roadside bombs and hidden weapons caches in Iraq to inspecting sites for presidential visits across the US.
The duo did everything together, but their partnership was forced to end in 2012 when Jason was discharged from the military due to a back injury.
While the man returned home to Michigan, 5 year old Sisi was forced to remain on active duty as she still had time to serve as a military dog. A couple of years passed and Jason wondered if he would ever see his dear friend again. And in 2014 his prayers were answered upon scrolling through Facebook, Jason came across the post informing him that Cici, the chocolate colored Labrador he missed so much was going to be retired.
When the head of the Kenneled, his old base, contacted him to see if he wanted to adopt her. Jason was thrilled, he said yes. What do I have to do? After filling out the tedious paperwork, Jason contacted the American Humane Association and Mission Kenai Rescue to help him pay for the costs of bringing Cici home from Germany where she resided at the time.
After securing the funding, Jason made sure to meet CC at the airport on the day of his arrival. After a 9 hour flight, the animal finally landed on US soil, waiting nervously, Jason said. I hope she remembers my voice, but any concerns about whether or not she had forgotten were quickly erased when she leapt into the arms of her former companion. Jason was quick to return the happy greeting. However, while repeatedly talking to her and scratching her belly, she looked at me, started sniffing me, and recognized me.
Jason said later, and with a bond as strong as theirs. It’s not hard to see why he was given the opportunity to adopt her.
Jason and CC trained together for months at the military kennel at Lackland Air Force Base. Then from 2008 onwards they were deployed on multiple missions overseas as Sisi was trained to sniff out explosives. It was important for her to know and understand Jason’s voice and commands which only served to strengthen their bond during missions in the US such as the site check on a presidential visit, the dogs and their handlers often slept together in hotels.
It’s easy to see how these two became so close so when the former soldier was finally reunited with his former. Labrador it was a heartwarming moment. Sometimes it’s hard to understand our pets, especially because they can’t talk, but with videos like this, it’s pretty clear to see exactly what they’re feeling. Has your pet ever given you such a warm welcome?