Metro

Afghanistan dogs joyfully reunite with US military members at JFK airport

With yelps and slobbery licks and kisses, some 14 dogs who began life as strays in Afghanistan were reunited Wednesday with the US service members who cared for them on the other side of the world.

“I’m going to take him to the park and let him run and run in the grass,” Zachary Henning said of his black and white charge, Gus, minutes after they reunited at JFK airport. “He’s never been in grass before.”

The dogs, whose heritage appeared definitely eclectic, were united in their enthusiasm for being out of their white traveling crates and back in the arms of their onetime best friends.

They sniffed, joyfully licked and occasionally yelped as the military members embraced them on the tarmac floor amid balloons and flag decorations.

The dogs who were rescued from Afghanistan were often credited with performing their own rescue missions over there.

“It was very stressful out there,” Henning said. “To have an animal like Gus keep us company, reduce the stress…he warmed my heart and helped me survive mentally and I need to repay him.”

The dogs were flown to the US under the auspices of Nowzad Dogs, which reunites dogs and cats from Afghanistan with the soldiers they befriended. Their travel route took them from Kabul to Dubai and on to London, with American Airlines transporting them from there to JFK.