I got a text that just said, you're not going to believe this. They found her I found. So it didn't it didn't it was I was shocked. He's actually a pretty lucky dog because a lot of animals would have died from a wound like that. One of the things that they do is they go around to the kill shelters, they rescued the dog so they can rescue the veteran. So it's saving two lives in one and she saved my life. And I think I've done the same for her here at ST we celebrate the ways people and pets are making this country a kinder place to live. One incredible story at a time. Whether they're providing emotional support or teaching us the power of hope and resilience. Dogs are so much more than just man's best friend. Here are stories of incredible dogs and the people whose lives they changed for the better. An Air Force sergeant had a heart warming reunion with his best furry friend when he returned home from Kuwait. Uh huh. It's me. It's been just a wonderful dog. It was a reunion seven months in the making. When Hector, a master sergeant in the Air force, finally returned home to keano. My son. He's going to be seven years old in March and I've had him since he was a pup and I didn't have anyone that can take care of him. So it was hard. It was tough leaving them behind. Hector loves his six year old dogs so much. He had him tattooed on his arm to make sure his dog was taken care of. While he was in Kuwait, Hector turned to a program called dogs of deployment. This is the second time I've used. Words cannot describe how thankful I am. They've been wonderful to me constantly. They will stay in contact with me. So that made me feel great through the program. Volunteer families, foster dogs whose owners are overseas. Before he left, Hector entrusted Keino to this couple. Honestly, I just want to say, I'm so grateful, grateful for people like Joanna and David. Kay, no, learned some new tricks while Hector was a way to like closing doors and learning spanish commands. I'm just so glad to see them back together again. It's just great. This is the story that the community needs. This is nothing but goodness. Right now. Finally, Hector was able to come face to face with K No, for the first time in months I didn't know how he was going to react. To be honest with you. I got terry, I got really terry and um, just he knows and I don't know. It was just, you can't explain it for David Fostering Keino was also a lesson in what service can look like. A level of service is not just for veterans. I think we all as a community, support their service and that becomes our service next. A woman never gave up hope that her missing dog would return home three years later. He miraculously did. These are definitely my favorite breed. I have my life threatening my heart, my soul. Candace's beloved pit bull dynamite was returned to her three years after he was stolen. And there was literally nothing that's gonna hold me back from finding me. He's my, he's my best. An officer found dynamite nearly 20 miles away from home and contacted animal control. They thought he was forced to be a fighting dog because of all the superficial injuries on his body. He's a rare case because typically animals in those situations, um, don't bounce back from that behavior. But even after dynamite was rescued, it would be a couple more months before he found his way home. Officer Deon mentioned the dog to a woman at a local humane shelter two months later. By complete chance that woman recognized him. My friends, dogs that's been missing. Could you send me a picture and I sent her a picture and this can just came up here later on that evening and it was her dog. You can look into their eyes and no it just needs love and happiness. And once she had her best friend back, Candace planned to give him just that. I've been told several times that you normally don't get dogs back that have been put through what he has been put through and I would definitely tell people to keep hope for their Children and there are animals that they'll find them in our next story. A pooch who had two legs amputated, inspired her community and most of all her adoring pet parent. Yeah, she loves her walks. P who the dog has come a long way and not just in her recovery. She began her life as a street dog in India suffering spinal damage when she was struck by a car P who was rescued but one of her hind legs had to be amputated actually like three fractures in her in her back and um as a result she couldn't use her legs. Girl the first surgery took place in India but after coming to the US, she had a second leg amputated. The decision was made to have removed the second hind leg because it literally hindered what mobility she had. Jill was inspired by p whose personality and her enthusiasm for walks. She also noticed that passer by particularly Children loved her dog. So she wrote a book about it. He who makes a friend. Children are really drawn to her which is a wonderful thing because it teaches them, you know, acceptance, you know, things that are different and diversity. Jill said she wanted that lesson to come through in the book, adding that the determined little dog on wheels has been a gift. She's my sunshine. Next. A veteran adjusting to civilian life got a lovable service dog to help her through rough times. There's a moment I didn't know how to survive in the civilian world and the difficulties that I faced. I basically ran from after more than three years serving abroad. Mac returned to the U. S. But she had trouble acclimating to everyday life before was lonely and sometimes dark and now there's a light. Then she was told about canines for warriors which pairs service members with service dogs and it doesn't cost the veterans a single cent. One of the things that they do is they go around to the kill shelters, they rescue the dog so they can rescue the veteran. So it's saving two lives in one and she saved my life. And I think I've done the same for her. Mac was introduced to mary whose interests include eating cheese, visiting the beach and playing fetch. But while sporting her service vest she means business. When we're in the military, you always had a battle buddy and when you got out he didn't have no battle buddy and she's my battle buddy now and it's comforting to know that no matter what, she's always there and I'm always there for her for Mac having married by her side meant having someone to lean on and she hoped other service members going through hard times would consider adopting their own battle buddy. That's what I did in the military is I helped, I got the mission done and now to come home and say I'm the one who needs help. But it's the first step. It's the journey and we can make it through the journey together while cats are supposed to be the ones with nine lives, this resilient pooch showed he had a few of his own. He's absolutely a very lucky dog to be alive considering what happened to him, there's no denying it. Griffin is one tough dog. He survived a shooting that could have easily been fatal. That's actually where the bullet entered. That's actually where the bullet entered. It came in through here and then it ended up in his abdomen. On this side. Griffin was discovered wandering the streets and the local animal shelter quickly contacted the big dog ranch rescue for help. I don't care where they're born, I don't care where that came from. If we can help them to over here for it. Griffin was driven more than six hours away to have the bullet surgically removed. It went through his chest, fortunately, you miss his lungs went through the diaphragm and ended up in his intestines. This X ray shows how the bullet in his abdomen nearly killed him. He's actually a pretty lucky dog because a lot of animals would have died from a wound like that. It also showed a smaller bullet or pellet revealing he had been shot before Laurie at Big Dog was overjoyed to see Griffin get the help he needed. Oh my goodness, look at him. I'm gonna sleep a whole lot better tonight because I was worried sick for the past two nights about him. Griffin made it through surgery, ready to find a forever home. After a few weeks of recovery, he's a fighter and the will to live and just glad he hung on long enough. In our next story, a dog owner was shocked to be reunited with her dog. Five years after she disappeared, I got a text that just said, you're not going to believe this. They found her and I, I found hope so. It didn't, it didn't, it was I was shocked. This is bay. She went missing back in 2016. After five years past, her foster mother, Renee had given up hope that she would ever return home. Then bay was discovered at a home in a nearby city. Deb and Danielle volunteers from missing dogs of massachusetts set up a kennel trap to capture her. Once they had her, they used bays microchip to find rene. We weren't sure if once we trapped her that, you know, she would have a license and come back like that. She lived a few streets away and was just allowed out to Rome. It wasn't until we saw her in the kennel and saw, you know, she was in rough shape, but we had no idea it was this. But the volunteers had no idea that they were helping reunite bay and rene after five years apart, we had no expectation of that. We were just blown away. We hope you enjoyed these paul mournful stories of amazing dogs and the people who love them. Thanks for watching stitch.