As you probably know, having a dog in your life always makes things a little better. So you can only imagine how much a friendly local dog means to soldiers in Afghanistan. Duke was beloved by all the soldiers on the base he frequented.
Often, the dogs they meet overseas become very important to men and women who serve. That makes it extremely difficult when they have to relocate and potentially leave their friend behind. This is especially true in regions where strays are considered nuisances and face mistreatment on the streets.
Naturally, the soldiers who had come to value Duke’s companionship were very worried when he stopped showing up one day. They searched everywhere and could not find him.
Something Is Wrong With Duke
Days later, Duke showed up on the base limping and bleeding from the leg. Evidently, a bullet broke the bone in his leg. The soldiers wanted to help their canine companion but weren’t sure what to do.
U.S. Army soldier Sergeant Chelsey was able to get some bandages on Duke. He eventually got him to eat some food but could tell that poor Duke didn’t stand a chance on his own.
So, Chelsey reached out to Paws of War. One mission of the organization is to ensure the safety of animals befriended by servicemen and women overseas so they don’t have to worry about them.
Since the recent chaos in Afghanistan began, Paws of War received dozens of frantic calls from servicemen and women who worried about having to leave the animals they rescued while serving overseas behind.
Paws of War wanted to eliminate that concern for these soldiers. Dereck Cartright, a disabled veteran and the stateside logistics coordinator for Paws of War, shared how important rescuing Duke was:
“Everyone is thinking of our troops serving overseas right now and they want to help in some way. Being able to lift their spirits is a great way to help. If we all come together we can rescue Duke and bring him to safety for them, which will boost their morale, and it gives them one less thing to worry about.”
Duke’s friends on the base kept him safe until a veterinary medical team sent by Paws of War arrived.
Paws Of War Helps And You Can Too
Paws of War was able to get Duke to one of their partner rescues where he got the extensive veterinary treatment he needed. He had surgery to repair his leg and received additional treatments for a serious skin condition.
As Paws of War put it:
“He has a long road to recovery but he is a fighter.”
Paws of War, an organization dedicated to U.S. military vets and their new canine companions, never ask the service members to pay for their services. They cover veterinary bills, transportation, and other costs to bring the dog to the U.S., for free as a thank you to those who serve.
Now, Paws of War is asking for the community’s help to save Duke as he fights on. If the costs of his extensive veterinary care are covered, they can focus on getting him safely to the U.S. and eventually, a forever home. Cartright added:
“We absolutely want to help put a smile on their face and ensure they don’t have to worry about Duke surviving. We are happy to help them with this mission and hope that many people in the community will want to support it as well. “
This dog deserves better, and he clearly loves people in spite of everything he’s been through. You can donate towards Duke’s care, rehab, and future adoption fees here.
H/T: The Dogington Post
Featured Image: Paws of War
