The bond between dogs and humans is always a strong one, but it’s especially strong when that dog is a service dog who is helping a veteran overcome PTSD.

Larry Peteet is an Air Force Veteran from Land O’ Lakes, Florida who got a Labrador retriever named Sandy to help him get over his PTSD. The two bonded immediately, and all was going well for them until Larry got in a car accident while Sandy was in the vehicle.

Larry was rushed to the ICU after the accident, and he spent the next three days in the hospital. When a member of the Pasco County Fire Rescue asked Larry what should be done with Sandy, the veteran gave him the name of a neighbor who he thought would take care of the dog. Larry was assured that Sandy was being taken care of, so he assumed that everything was just fine.

It was only after Larry was released from the hospital that he learned, to his horror, that the neighbor did not have Sandy. Larry was told that the Pasco County Animal Services had Sandy, but when he went there, he found that his dog was not in fact at the facility. Larry then searched every shelter in the area, but he could not find Sandy anywhere.

After nearly three weeks, the Pasco County Sheriff’s Office finally notified Larry that another neighbor had been given Sandy after the original neighbor said that he could not take the dog. This neighbor then gave Sandy to someone at a local dog park because they happened to own a black Labrador.

Larry hired a pet detective to find Sandy, and after 22 days, they were finally reunited! Their reunion has since gone viral, touching the hearts of people all over the world.

Check out the emotional reunion for yourself below!