CALIFORNIA (WITI) -- In a brief but poignant ceremony this weekend, a bomb-sniffing dog was declared retired, and adopted by the family of his Marine handler -- who was killed in Afghanistan.
According to the Los Angeles Times, Dino -- a six-year-old Belgian Malinois has been adopted by the family of Staff Sgt. Christopher Diaz.
Diaz was killed in September of 2011, while deployed in Afghanistan's Helmand province.
He was 27 years old.
Diaz' mother, Sandra Diaz tells the Los Angeles Times Dino "will be our baby."
Dino will be the family's first dog -- and he'll have a large backyard and a swimming pool.
"It's going to be helpful. We'll have something to hold onto," Diaz' father, Salvador Diaz said.
CLICK HERE for much more on this story via the Los Angeles Times -- including what Dino had to go through in order for him to be adopted.