This weekend, a Marine from Houston was reunited with the dog he served with in Afghanistan.
Donna, a 7-year-old yellow Labrador retriever, was a bomb detection dog with Marine Cpl. Joaquin Aranda's unit while he was on a six-month tour of duty.
Donna retired from service and Aranda applied to adopt her.
The American Humane Association and Mission K9 Rescue helped arrange the adoption.
"I wasn't sure I was going to see her again, so I was sad, I didn't really have a good good-bye to her when she left," said Aranda.
On Saturday, Donna arrived to a hero's welcome at Hobby Airport wearing a pink coller and leash.
Even though it had been two years since they'd seen each other, it was clear Donna was happy to see Aranda.
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Aranda has big plans for Donna to get much-needed rest and relaxation now that she's retired. "Just hanging out at the house, you know, swimming in the pond and creeks, chasing squirrels, playing fetch, Rolling, wrestling," he said. "Just lots of love. So, everything she can get."
KPRC-TV reports Donna will stay with Aranda's parents in Cleveland, outside Houston, until he is out of the Marine Corps in October. He is currently stationed in California.
