I am sorry for the family but at the same time irked.
I see many military families say they can't bring a pet or take a pet back home when traveling here to Germany. Most of the time the case is they just don't want the animal any more and are looking at a guilt free way of dumping the pet off on someone else. I see it with small pets too like rabbits and G. Pigs. They just want it while it is cute and when the newness wears off they get rid of it. $500 isn't to much for shipping an animal long distance. We payed 200 to bring our old dog here to Germany. Now I do understand traveling in the summer that pets are not allowed do to heat related injuries for the animals. And trying to get the animal listed as a service dog? Most families who have a dedication to their animal would have them all listed that way if they could.
I hope they get him back to the states soon.