UPDATE | 3:00 p.m. ---
A Pasco County couple is to thank for a US service dog's safe return after they called Pasco County Animal Services for a dog in their backyard.
The couple with their own military background did not know Aquino was missing in their neighborhood as they are newer to the New Port Richey area.
The pair denied the $1,000 reward that was offered to them by K9 Partners for Patriots for helping return Aquino to Sonny Brooks, retired U.S. Army.
ORIGINAL STORY | A Pasco County US veteran is asking for the public's help to locate his missing service dog.
Aquino went missing from the Pasco County's Vet Center in New Port Richey.
The 15-month-old dog is a cream colored Australian Labrador that got loose from the vet center when someone opened the door.
Sonny Brooks, got the service dog from K-9 Partners for Patriots six months ago.
He served for the U.S. Army for eight years and served in Operation Enduring Freedom, Operation New Dawn and Operation Iraqi Freedom.
Founder and CEO of K-9 Partners for Patriots says Aquino is trained to not let strangers touch him and that he is most likely to respond to a woman or a child than to a man.
If you have any information, or a sighting please contact the vet center at 727-372-1854.
