The effects of war are no secret. Many veterans are living with the physical and mental anguish brought on by their time spent defending freedom. For a lot of veterans, dogs seem to be one of the best remedies to help ease their transition to civilian life.
“Just from going from a war zone to a civilian life and coming back, you feel totally isolated. You feel totally alone. You feel cut off from everything. My dogs were the only people that were there for me,” Joshua told Animal Planet.
Isolation, Nightmares, And Two Small Dogs
This was true for a veteran named Joshua. He served in the Air Force in Afghanistan and he found it extremely difficult to transition to life after war. Joshua took to isolation to try to manage his symptoms. Nightmares and flashbacks tormented him day after day.
The Air Force veteran only found comfort in his dogs, Momma and Panda. Their companionship gave him the strength to face each day no matter how hard things got. Despite feeling cut off from the civilian world around him, Joshua had Momma and Panda that were his entire world and that’s all that mattered.
Joshua Decided He Had To Say Goodbye To His Two Best Friends
Eventually, he decided to make a move from Louisiana to California but there was one catch: This would require a temporary separation from Panda and Momma. While Joshua accepted this sacrifice, it still hurt to tell his babies goodbye even if it was just for a little while.
Nights were cold and lonely as he laid in bed alone. He longed for the comfort of feeling Momma and Panda snuggled up with him under the blankets. Even more so, Joshua missed walking his pups and enjoying the fresh air with them.
Tia and Mariah Torres from Pitbulls and Parolees caught wind of the situation. They knew they had to step in and help. Mariah didn’t think twice about doing what she could to reunite Joshua and his beloved furbabies.
Panda And Momma Became Depressed And Stopped Eating
Panda and Momma had shown their grief by barely eating while separated from their dad. Both pups had lost a significant amount of weight. But, that all changed.
After two long months, it was time for the trio to be reunited in California. Momma and Panda’s sorrows melted away the second they were reunited with their dad! Joshua said he was a little nervous that they wouldn’t remember him, but it was clear that wasn’t the case.
Their tales began to wag and they wiggled their butts with pure joy. They showered their dad with more love than he could have ever dreamed of!
The family of three is now enjoying their home together in California where they can snuggle every night and enjoy their walks in the sun.
h/t: Pitbulls and Parolees
Featured Photo: @AnimalPlanet/YouTube
Toledo, United States.
