Indiana veteran to adopt dog he served with in Afghanistan

CULVER, Ind. (AP) - A northern Indiana veteran is counting the days until he's reunited with the bomb-sniffing dog he served with years ago in Afghanistan.

U.S. Rep. Jackie Walorski called Army veteran Joseph Steenbeke on Wednesday to inform him that he'll be able to adopt Tess, a Belgian Malinois whose ID number is tattooed on his arm.

The South Bend Tribune reports that the Culver man hasn't seen Tess since his tour of Afghanistan ended in 2013, but he's been trying to adopt her ever since.

Steenbeke, who is Ancilla College's head golf coach, credits Walorski with "calling people I don't have access to."

He and his wife, Stephanie, are awaiting word on when they can pick Tess up in Texas, where the 9-year-old dog underwent veterinary tests at Lackland Air Force Base.

___

Information from: South Bend Tribune, http://www.southbendtribune.com