Sgt. Ryan Henderson credits his K9 partner for making his life in Afghanistan bearable. From the moment they met, the two spent every waking hour either going on missions or training. For Ryan, the dog, Satan, was more than just his partner – he was his best friend and his pillar of strength. He was his only family while on tour.
Brother-in-arms
Ryan and Satan were part of the Tactical Explosive Detector Dog, or TEDD, program. For eight months, they were part of a team that detected bombs in Afghanistan. They went on numerous dangerous missions and it took a toll on Ryan’s health. Because of countless times being near the proximity of exploding bombs, the military veteran had a grand mal seizure.
Ryan had to be flown to a base in Germany where he was treated. He stayed there for some time to recover and rehabilitate. All through those times, Satan was left in Afghanistan.
Although he was given another handler, the black german shepherd missed Ryan. The lonely dog would sometimes act up and would refuse to come out of his kennel. It was pretty obvious that he preferred to be with his former handler.
Getting his dog back
After Ryan recovered, he retired from military service and went back home to Texas. He made inquiries about Satan and eventually, he discovered that along with 200 other TEDD dogs, they were given to different families and corporations. Satan wound up with a family in North Carolina.
Being part of the program meant that Ryan had the right of first refusal. The dog should have been offered to him first before considering other options.
The injured former soldier contacted the family and told them of their story. He also asked them to give Satan back to him. The family refused.
No surrender
But Ryan was not about to give up. He called lawmakers and even told his story to the media. Word got around and he was invited by members of the National Animal Law conference. He spoke of his experience and was put in touch with one of the lawyers. Together, they filed a lawsuit to get Satan back.
At first, the North Carolina family wanted to fight the suit. But eventually, they called Ryan and told him that they were now willing to return the dog. Upon hearing the news, he called his dad and the two immediately drove from Texas to North Carolina.
The former partners are now finally together. While it took them half a decade to make the reunion happen, Ryan said it was all worth it.
Source: CBSDFW via Youtube
