JILL SCHRAMM/MDN Myriam Martinez holds Elimar shortly after their reunification in Minot on Friday, March 6.

When Myriam Martinez learned at the last minute that her canine companion, Elimar, wasn’t going to be able to board the plane to fly with her to their new home in North Dakota, she was devastated.

Martinez left Puerto Rico without Elimar on Feb. 25, but thanks to a number of friends and animal rescue supporters, the two were reunited in Minot Friday, March 6.

Elimar was flown to Miami, Florida, on March 2, where a pet transporter took her as far as Council Bluffs, Iowa. There Iowans Robert and Ashley Dishong and their daughter Jadeyn, who also do pet transports, picked up Elimar after receiving a call the evening of Thursday, March 5.

“They had an immediate need, and we were available,” said Robert Dishong. The Dishongs, who drove all night into Friday morning, said Elimar was a great traveler – quiet, slept a lot but enjoyed the walking breaks.

Elimar sniffed her way down the halls of Martinez’s Minot apartment building and jumped up with tail wagging when Martinez opened her door to greet her.

It was worth making the trip after hearing Martinez’s story, Ashley Dishong said.

Martinez had visited Minot last November, where her son, Mario Ceballos Martinez, and his family live. Her son, who is retired from the Air Force, works at the Minot base. She returned to Puerto Rico in January to finalize a permanent move.

Martinez related that she had purchased a kennel to bring Elimar on the plane and believed she had airline clearance. However, on the last day before the flight, the airline informed her the kennel was not an appropriate size to bring in the cabin. Martinez offered to purchase a seat for the kennel or place it in cargo, but neither were options with the airline.

The memories still brought up tears as she recalled the pain she felt at having to leave Elimar behind. Although she has a son in Puerto Rico, he also has pets and was unable to take her dog, which meant Elimar could have ended up in a shelter. Martinez said shelters will hold an animal seeking adoption for a limited time before euthanization.

Through connections she had with Jehovah’s Witnesses, Martinez’s plight came to the attention of a woman named Carissa, who arranged for Sali Gear Rescue in Puerto Rico to get involved. Additional individuals played roles in helping to reunite Martinez and Elimar, as many other encouragers followed the situation on social media.

Elimar came to Martinez as a puppy several years ago. The dog is a Kromfohrlander, a German breed resembling a spaniel.

“She’s a very, very smart girl and very, very loving,” Martinez said. Her husband, a Vietnam veteran originally from New York, died last June after a diagnosis with stomach cancer in April. Elimar had been at his side throughout his ordeal.

“This dog was his companion,” Martinez said. “This dog gave him so much love.”