SAN DIEGO (CBS 8) - We've all seen the heart-warming reunions between our military men and women and their families when they come home from deployment, but this one comes with a bittersweet twist.
When Derek Emter got back from deployment, he knew his wife and daughter would be excited. But he wondered about his dog Perseus.
"I pulled up to the house and I was thinking like I haven't seen him in four months and I hope he still wants to come home with me," he said.
They don't call them man's best friend for nothing.
"He's very attached to his dad, very," wife Lindsay Emter said.
This story all began when Derek left for deployment in the Pacific. His wife Lindsay was in nursing school in North Dakota, so they reached out to Dogs on Deployment, a group founded here in San Diego that finds volunteers to help watch pets.
"It's a huge help, a huge help. We wouldn't have known what to do. We would have had to board him and that would have been outrageous," Lindsay said.
Derek's not quite sure what he'd do without Perseus, which is why he's so worried.
"Perseus has a tumor on his shoulder," he said.
An expensive surgery is needed, but right now this military man has his hands full supporting a family that's about to get bigger.
"Like seriously any day, due date is like, 40 weeks is Sunday," Lindsay said.
"If it comes down to he needs surgery, he's gonna get it," Derek said.
Despite deployments and daddy duties, Derek is willing to do whatever is it takes to help his loyal friend, no matter the cost.
"He's part of the family, and we want what's best for our family," he said.
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