U.S. Soldiers Save Trapped Puppies — and Plead to Bring Them Home to America

Photo courtesy of Paws of War

Paws of War is working with a group of U.S. Army soldiers to get the dogs they rescued safely to America!

NESCONSET, N.Y. – – It’s not every day that a group of tough military members have their hearts melt when they see a stray dog, but that’s what happened. While being deployed overseas, a small group of U.S. Army soldiers was working in an area with a harsh environment, when they saw a skinny, malnourished, pregnant dog. They immediately wanted to help and saw that food and water was left for her. What they didn’t realize was that she would be providing them with a litter of puppies they would not only rescue from a hole but also want to take back home to America.

“These soldiers love this family of dogs and will do all they can to get them back home to live with their families,” said Derek Cartwright, U.S. Army veteran and international logistics Coordinator for Paws of War. “We are excited to be a part of the mission in helping them to do it, and we hope people in the community will want to get on board.”

The pregnant dog would come by looking for food every day and the soldiers looked forward to seeing her. Upon realizing she was taking the bowl and looking like she had given birth, they wondered what had happened to the puppies, but assumed the worst, given the environment they were in, which makes it difficult for stray dogs to survive. Then, while out setting up on a shooting range, they heard noises coming from the ground near a pole.

When the soldiers investigated the source of the noises,

they found puppies stuck down in a hole, along with the paper bowls from the food the mother had been taking to them. The puppies were all scared and fragile, and the runt of the litter, Roy, didn’t look as though he would survive, given his condition. After being cleaned up, they were reunited with their mother, and the soldiers reached out to Paws of War. The rescue organization rushed in to get the puppies and provide medical care and is now working to get them all, along with their mother.

The soldiers have fallen in love with puppies, naming them, bonding with them, and sending pictures and videos back to their families. They called the puppies Stryker, Roy, and Maggie, the female in honor of Martha “Colonel Maggie” Raye (the beloved entertainer and medical assistant for U.S. troops for over 40 years). The goal is to get the puppies and their mother moved to America so that they can live out the rest of their lives happily in the comfort of the soldiers’ homes. Paws of War is working on that mission and is asking the community for help to ensure its success.

“I’d been planning to rescue a dog when my deployment ended, but it looks like the dog, Roy, found me,” said one of the soldiers. “Saving him means a lot to me. After everything he’s survived, bringing him home feels like it was meant to be.”

To get more information and make a donation to help get the puppies and their mom to the U.S., visit the site at: https://pawsofwar.org/?form=4_Puppy_Rescue

Paws of War focuses on helping active duty soldiers and veterans in a variety of ways. They have helped relocate the rescued pets of overseas military members. They have helped veterans with numerous issues, including suicide prevention, service and support dogs, companion cats and dogs, food insecurity, veterinary care, etc. Paws of War has a large, loyal following of supporters and looks forward to working with new corporate sponsors to support these life-saving programs. To donate to help their missions, visit their site at http://pawsofwar.org. 

About Paws of War

Paws of War is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) charitable organization that assists military members and their pets, rescues and trains dogs to be service dogs, and provides companion animals to veterans and first responders. To learn more about Paws of War and the programs provided or donate, visit its site at http://pawsofwar.org.