North Texas Soldier And His War Dog To Star In Documentary
NORTH TEXAS (CBSDFW.COM) - After Ryan Henderson was finally reunited with his military war dog, Satan, he started speaking at events all over the country. His speech and story caught the attention of a Hollywood producer.
Now Satan and his master are telling the story about their reunion and their fight for all military dogs.
Ryan Henderson fought wars in Afghanistan alongside his partner – a black German Shepard named Satan.
They were inseparable until Henderson suffered a grand mal seizure. The hospitalization separated Henderson from his beloved dog.
When Ryan recovered, he tried to find Satan.He traced Satan to a family in North Carolina who told him they were not giving Satan back. He also found that like Satan, nearly 200 Military War Dogs were given away. Satan belonged to the Army's Tactical Explosive Device Detection program or TEDD.
A recent Defense Department's Inspector General's report said that the "Army's Office of the Provost Marshal General did not ensure accuracy in the tracking of some TEDDs through final disposition."
Henderson spent the last five years trying to get him back. Last year, the North Carolina family who adopted Satan had a change of heart. They agreed to give back Satan. Ryan and Satan were finally reunited.
Ryan was then invited as a guest speaker at conferences all around the country when he caught the attention of a Hollywood producer.
"We've just completed production and it's in editing," he told CBS 11. "It's a chance to reach massive audiences and let them know what we're doing."
The documentary will feature Ryan and his family. But the real star is Satan. "We've shot a lot of GoPro footage from his angle. Just for cinematic appeal," Henderson told us showing how Satan puts on the camera around his neck.
"I want to tell these dogs story for them," he said. "Because no one is telling them, I want to show it from his perspective not mine."
The film will highlight a new fight that includes the push to change the status of all military dogs.
"Police and fire dogs are considered an officer. As they should be," Henderson said. "Military working dogs are considered equipment."
He says that means that they do not have benefits or medical care for life. And, that's what Ryan is trying to change.
"We're working with a senator and a member of congress," he said.
He hopes to form a nationwide coalition to work on military working dog and contract working dog issues.
The short film will debut in all the fall film festivals, including Sundance, where they hope to generate enough buzz to create a full length documentary.
