Closing in on the end of 2008!!!
Liberty - a puppy from Iraq come to the U.S. - now home!!!
If you are like me, it is hard for you to believe that the year is quickly coming to an end. Soon it will be 2009 and hopefully I will continue to bring you ideas, stories, and information about the dogs all over world. One of the topics that I wrote about frequently and highlighting their efforts was the work of Operation Baghdad Pups. This effort, run under the supervision of SPCA International assists soldiers in bringing dogs to the United States that have been born and lived in wartorn Iraq and Afghanistan. However, these dogs have been “adopted” by U.S. service personnel and want to keep the dog as their lifelong pet. Many of these soldiers find these animals hungry and living in dangerous conditions. They befriend the dog(s), but in actuality, it is the dog who provides the comfort and companionship that is so sorely needed by so many of our soldiers.
To enable a dog to leave Iraq or Afghanistan requires a great deal of coordination, planning and money. It is often very difficult and expensive to get a dog ready for the trip of their life. Vaccinations are required for the dog to leave the country and the dog has to have been vaccinated for 30 days before leaving the country. Depending on the travel arrangements that are made differently for each dog, based on their own specific case, dogs can be quarantined in another country during their journey for an additional 30 days. During this time, the dog(s) still need to be fed and cared for, funds for these efforts are especially important. Airfare alone can cost up to $1200 for a dog to go from the Middle East to the United States.
Obviously cash donations to this very noble cause are very much appreciated and needed. Also an Operation Baghdad Pups wish list is available if you would like to donate items that are sorely needed. Click here to check out the list!
The efforts of this team is phenomenal and these individuals should be counted as heroes as well. For many of the service personnel, the dogs that become their pets makes their lives worth living in a desparate place under the most difficult of conditions. Having their dog at home in the states when they return is a small way of thanking these brave soldiers for the job they are doing for all of us.
To see more about this organization and the work they do, click here!!!
Leave a Reply