“This dog deserves to spend his retirement with someone who loves him and much more”
When 9-year-old United States Marine combat tracking dog, Atilla, was ready to retire, he had two huge loving arms waiting for him to run into.
Sergeant Jacob Barela and Attila worked side-by-side for three years. So, when it was time for the senior German Shepherd to retire, Barela decided to adopt him.
Sergeant Barela and Atilla had formed a strong bond and were inseparable while serving together for so long. But Barela left the military in 2017 and the two hadn’t seen each other since.
When Barela learned that Atilla could no longer work, his heart went out to his old partner, and he decided to adopt him. So, he called a friend with Mission Canine Rescue and asked for their help with the adoption.
Soon arrangements were made and Atilla was on his way to his new home via a ride on Southwest Airlines Flight 7 from Houston. When Atilla finally arrived at the airport, he had no idea that Sergeant Barela would be there to greet him.
When Atilla saw his old friend, it was as if no time had passed. He flew into Barela’s arms and was so happy to see him. The dog obviously remembered his old partner and was ecstatic to see him again.
Their reunion was so sweet, it’s hard not to cry when watching them finally together again. All working dogs deserve to retire with someone who cares so much for them and is devoted to loving and caring for them for the rest of their lives.
Atilla and Barela will have plenty of time to get to know each other again while Atilla adjusts to retirement. Barela had since retired from the Marines and returned to college. Meanwhile. Atilla gets to learn how to be a pet and relax for the first time in years.
We hope you enjoyed watching their reunion. They truly deserve each other, and we thank them both for their service. We hope that Atilla has some great years ahead of him and gets to enjoy a stress-free life with someone who loves him.
We salute all our working dogs for their selfless sacrifice. As always, please feel free to share with your friends.