Dog rescues are always heartwarming, but seeing 92 dogs come home all at once is especially touching. The company AMK9 helps military dogs return to the United States and settle into new lives. AMK9 recently completed their biggest project yet, which was to transport 92 dogs about 7,000 miles overseas to their new homes.
Pete Owen, AMK9’s vice president of operations, says, “A lot of them are coming back to be adopted into homes, where they’ll spend the rest of their days enjoying life. And that’s a good thing, so there’s a lot of pride that goes into it.” Military dogs often struggle to adjust to their new lives after they return from overseas, but AMK9 helps to ease their transition, and they make sure the dogs find great new jobs or homes.
Transporting all the dogs was a complicated process. Because they traveled through multiple countries, they had to go through customs, veterinary checks, and health checks several times. They worried that one of their flights would be delayed as it could be difficult for the dogs to have an even longer journey than expected. Luckily, AMK9 had plenty of help. They worked with experienced veterinarians who made sure the dogs were always safe, and they planned with several veterinary clinics along the way to make stops to check up on the dogs.
The dogs finally arrived safely in the United States, but their journey wasn’t over. After they landed in New York City, they had to travel 955 miles to Alabama, where they would stay until they found new homes. It took several trucks to carry all the dogs, and the trip was long and tiring. Just getting out of New York City took more than two hours, and they had to make frequent stops to relieve the dogs and provide medical care. After about 15 hours of traveling, they still had 300 miles to go.
When they arrived in Alabama, everyone involved was relieved. All the dogs were safe, and the AMK9 workers said that every step of the process was successful. Even though it was a long and exhausting trip, they didn’t face any serious obstacles. Tisha Mullen, AMK9’s logistics manager, says, “Four dogs is a huge accomplishment, so when you move 92 it absolutely changes the entire scope.”
Now, the dogs are enjoying life in Alabama. Out of the 92 dogs, 38 of them have retired and will be going to loving homes. The others will find new jobs until it’s time for them to retire as well. Thanks to AMK9, hundreds of dogs have made safe journeys home from overseas. The people who run the organization are passionate about helping animals, and it’s clear they take pride in what they do.