War dog reunites with local Marine

Marine Corp. Cpl. Joaquin Aranda, is reunited with his military war dog, Donna, at Houston Hobby Airport on ﻿Saturday. Donna swept for bombs with Aranda in Afghanistan. Marine Corp. Cpl. Joaquin Aranda, is reunited with his military war dog, Donna, at Houston Hobby Airport on ﻿Saturday. Donna swept for bombs with Aranda in Afghanistan. Photo: Mayra Beltran, Staff Photo: Mayra Beltran, Staff Image 1 of / 14 Caption Close War dog reunites with local Marine 1 / 14 Back to Gallery

Joaquin Aranda checked his phone repeatedly and shifted his weight as he watched arrivals walk by him Saturday at Hobby Airport.

Family lined a nearby wall, small American flags in hand. One uncle held out a green paper banner that read, "Welcome Donna." Travelers who had already collected their bags from a nearby carousel waited, too, curious about the banner and a row of television cameras.

"Is a service member returning home?" several asked.

Yes, answered Aranda and his relatives from Cleveland and Humble. Donna, a 7-year-old bomb-sniffing Labrador, served alongside the U.S. Marine corporal during a six-month tour of Afghanistan in 2011. The nonprofit American Humane Association and Mission K9 Rescue helped arrange for Aranda to adopt Donna, who is retiring.

Dogs have served in American wars for decades, formally beginning in World War II. Most veteran war dogs were euthanized after 10 years of service until a 2000 federal law opened the door for more adoptions by former service partners, law enforcement agencies and other trained handlers. The retirement policies and practices of contractors who supply military dogs vary.

It still remains difficult to reconnect soldiers with their working dogs, said Kristen Maurer of Mission K9 Rescue. She noted that war dogs who enter retirement while overseas are not allowed to be flown back to the United States by military transport because "they are classified as equipment" that is no longer in service.

Maurer met Donna in Ellerbe, N.C. Before flying her to Houston, Maurer took a cell phone photo of Donna stretched out on her hotel bed and texted it to Aranda, asking if he was certain that he wanted to adopt her.

"She's such a sweetheart," she recalled saying.

Aranda was eager to bring her home, although he admits being uneasy when he was first assigned to become a handler.

"Being in a combat zone with a dog by my hip, I thought I'd have to take care of her," he said. "But she took care of us. She wasn't a burden at all. In fact, she kept our spirits up and did a good job keeping us safe."

'Really good at her job'

He worried each time he sent her out to sweep for improvised explosive devices, but said he learned to embrace the idea that it was her job.

"And she's really good at it," the 25-year-old said, hands in his pockets, as he waited for her arrival Saturday. "She never missed a bomb, and I'm real proud of that. The least I can do once she's retired is give her a good home, lots of land to play around in and lots of love."

Shortly after 2 p.m., Maurer texted to say she was walking toward baggage claim with Donna.

Aranda's face twitched in and out of a subtle smile.

Donna came around the corner, ears rolled back and tongue hanging out.

Reunited at last

"I see her!" Aranda's family cheered, other travelers joining in with applause.

Aranda exhaled a big breath, smiled wide for a moment, and walked toward Donna. He kneeled down on his right knee and rubbed her chest as she jumped on him. Donna spun in a circle to greet the rapt crowd.

Aranda thanked Maurer, giving her a hug over the yellow Lab's back.

"We did nothing," she said. "You guys did everything. Seriously."

Donna tested the length of her pink leash as she nosed around a backpack for treats.