iStockphoto / Peppersmint
There’s nothing like the bond between dog and man. I recently went about a year and a half without a dog in my life after my 11yo Bernese Mountain Dog had passed away in Summer 2022 and it wasn’t until February of this year when I rescued a Great Pyrenees x Anatolian Shepherd mix who had been surrendered to a shelter that things felt normal again in my house.
All of that is to say I’m a dog person. I grew up in a dog family. My wife’s a dog person. We’re raising a son who is obsessed with dogs. So videos like this one where soldiers reunite with puppies they rescued during Middle East deployment hits me right in the heartstrings.
This moment was made possible by Paws of War, an organization that brings dogs from overseas and war zones and pairs them with veterans, active military members, and first responders. Since Paws of War was founded in 2014, they have brought more than 800 dogs and cats rescued by our troops from overseas to the United States.
But this one here is a particularly special moment as it involves a whole litter of pups that were abandoned by their mother and rescued by our soldiers who were then reunited with the puppies at the Hampton Inn in Downtown Brooklyn, and these soldiers are now full-time puppy parents:
A spokesperson for Paws of War told PEOPLE “there wasn’t a dry eye or a tail not wagging as they all came together” in this very special moment.
Army Specialist Michael Branch, Specialist Kai Garnette, Sgt. Ryan Kissoon, and Specialist Naraly Garcia were all on cloud nine after being reunited with the puppies they rescued during deployment in the Middle East. Michael Branch says his dog, Socks, recognized them at the reunion. Specialis Kai Garnette said “it’s like memory being out over there, having him back. I can tell this is great emotional support for me.”
Speaking about her new pup Hades, Specialist Nataly Garcia said “hopefully he likes his new surroundings. He’ll be taken well taken care of. Thank God these dogs were not left behind and that Paws of War was there to get them to America.”
Prior to the reunion, these dogs were living in foster care and will now go home with the soldiers that rescued them in the Middle East after the puppies were abandoned by their mother. There were 2 more dogs from the litter and those 2 are headed out West to be adopted by soldiers on the West Coast.
The concept of ‘adopt not shop’ isn’t always a fit for everyone. Some families have specific needs. For instance, my rescue dog is a Great Pyrenees x Anatolian Shepherd mix that’s most commonly bred as a livestock guardian dog. Herding dogs are still very commonly used for exactly that.
Dogs are smart, smarter than most people give them credit for. By rescuing these dogs from a war zone during deployment and giving them safe and stable homes these pups will forever be grateful and it is hard to imagine a better fit for everyone involved.