When it comes to war tactics, one useful way to detect bombs and landmines is by having a trained K-9 dog who can sniff the bomb from meters away. In the war in Afghanistan, many lives were saved because of dogs who found dangerous weapons before the soldiers could accidentally step on them.
After serving in the military, these dogs are then retired and put up for adoption. The first priority is always the soldiers they worked with, but this does not always happen. It can also mean spending thousands of dollars, especially when the military person lives in a different state from the retired war dog.
Luckily, there is one woman who has made it her life’s mission to reunite retired military dogs with the soldiers they worked with.
Molli Oliver is a California-based flight attendant who has been working at United Airlines for over 40 years. She might be a flight attendant but her true passion is about helping military war dogs find their way back to the military men and women they have worked and grew close with.
The cost of traveling to places where the soldiers live while bringing the dogs with her is not cheap, but Molli does all of this at her own cost.
“I love the dogs, and I love my military that’s taking care of my freedom my whole life. So it’s a win-win to combine the two.”
She has actually done it multiple times, and on the fourth time she did it, Molli brought a military war dog named Taylor.
The dog, fondly called “Tay-tay” or “Princess Taylor”, served two deployments in Afghanistan. She has saved a lot of soldiers by sniffing bombs and mines. She was so good at her job that the Taliban even placed a bounty on her head.
Molli found out about Taylor and knew that the dog deserved to be with her handler. Immediately, Molli booked a first-class trip to Boise where she accompanied Taylor as they flew to meet up with Sergeant Tom Hanson, Taylor’s previous handler.
Sergeant Hanson was anxious and excited as he waited for Taylor at the airport.
Finally, Molli and Taylor’s plane landed and the two of them were on their way to meet the military man. Once Taylor rounded the corner and saw Sergeant Hanson, the dog wagged her tail excitedly and ran towards the soldier’s waiting arms. They hadn’t seen each other in two years.
They might have been away from each other after serving together in Afghanistan, but when Taylor saw him, she knew exactly who he was and jumped up to meet his embrace. It was a very sweet reunion that left the soldier in tears of happiness.
“It’s like a part of me has been missing, and getting her back now, it will make me whole again,” Sergeant Hanson shared with NBC News.
All of this will not be possible without Molli and her kind heart. It’s truly inspiring to know that people like her make the world a better place.
Witness their touching reunion by watching the video below!
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