No Buddy Left Behind: Bringing U.S. Troops' Dogs and Cats Safely Home From the Combat Zone (38 page)

I thought about Jennifer Mann, Patton's owner, and of all the soldiers her mental health team had struggled to help, some so emotionally shut down that it took a puppy named "Patton" to start them talking, yet they continued to serve and sacrifice for the sake of us at home.

I had been to Iraq. I had felt the undercurrent of constant tension throbbing through the air of that country of extremes. Despite the camaraderie of wonderful people, it was always there, that unspoken fear of soldiers, and animals whose thoughts still whispered in the parched, gray soil, don't leave me here-don't forget to bring me home.

"We won't forget them, will we, Patton?" I asked. I began to sing the chorus again, joining the iPod song with all the volume I could muster.

Patton suddenly raised his muzzle, stretched out his chin, and his voice resounded with the loudest, most exuberant chorus of howls I'd ever heard a puppy make.

My little friend had seemed to epitomize General Patton's maxim, "You're never beaten until you admit it." The strong-willed puppy's spirit never admitted defeat, and neither did Stubbs, the gentle dog who still trusted people after the horrible things human hands had done to his body. Tippy didn't know what beaten meant. He knew where he wanted to be, and he always found a way to get there. These three dogs had pulled me through some of the toughest times in Baghdad and during our long journey home.

Patton continued to howl, throwing his little chest from one side to the other, as if his heart was leading his body. "Are you singing along?" I asked. "Or are you just complaining about my singing?"

As I drove south, each passing mile seemed to fill with its own set of memories, some funny, others sad, and many full of frustration or jubilation. What an amazing journey it had been.

Although grateful for what we had accomplished, I was also aware of the tremendous number of rescues yet to be achieved and of the greater need for world attitudes to be changed with education and healthy exposure to these precious animals. The upcoming partings and goodbyes for my three canine companions would not be the end of Operation Baghdad Pups. If anything, I knew more than ever, it was only just the beginning.

Stubbs, a true survivor and gentle friend Bev Westerman

Mama Leesa and me SPCA International

By Cynthia Hurn

Barb and Tippy in Virginia Bev Westerman

bile it's difficult to say goodbye to an animal you've traveled thousands of miles to bring home, it is also hard to leave behind the ones who've captured your heart through their stories. When working with Terri on this book, I had the wonderful opportunity to interview many of the people included in these pages. I heard the emotion in their voices, felt the love they have for their country, and especially the incredible devotion between them and their buddies.

As Terri and I completed our final edits on the last chapter, it was hard for me to put the pen down and say goodbye to my new friends, both human and animal. I couldn't help but wonder, "How are they doing now?" If your heart was moved by their stories, you may be wondering the same.

Almost all of the dogs and cats in No Buddy Left Behind are alive and well today, living with the person who befriended them, with members of their family, or with close friends. Sadly, some of the animals have died. Before their death, however, they experienced freedom as we know it in this country. They felt safe and loved and were well cared for. If that's all their rescue earned them, I believe the incredible effort to bring them home was worth it.

For the readers who want to know a few more details about the animals' lives since coming to America, the following owners kindly agreed to share just a little bit more with us and with you. In the order that they appeared in the book:

Charlie (SGT Eddie Watson)-Charlie is living the good life these days, fine tuning his dog-agility skills while Eddie completes his training for a career in the nursing field. The first Iraqi desert dog brought to the United States by Operation Baghdad Pups still has a few behavior issues related to living in a combat zone. He barks nonstop when fireworks go off, and people who look like Iraqis frighten him to this day-sad reminders of the damage done by cruelty and war.

Eddie and Charlie have also become family men. A special young woman walked into Eddie's heart and life soon after he was reunited with his dog. They are now proud parents of a toddler daughter, and she keeps Charlie on his paws.

Charlie has proven himself to be an all-American dog right from Day 1. When Terri took him on his very first pet store shopping trip after arriving in the States, out of all the toys he could have chosen, the only one Charlie wanted was a football. Now he enjoys everything American, from baseball to hamburgers, and he is proud of his promotion to the new rank of OCP (official couch potato).

K-Pot-Although he no longer fits into a Kevlar helmet, K-Pot still loves to curl up on anything soft. He moved in with Matt's sister Danielle and her kids, where he could romp around acres of land and have another dog to play with. During Danielle's wait for Matt to redeploy, K-Pot gave her a few challenges. The high-energy, intelligent dog could not get over his nervousness about strange noises, people, and situations, and Danielle soon realized she needed the help of a trainer with specialized skills. But try as hard as she could to find the right trainer, K-Pot got kicked out of every class he attended.

Inspired by desperation, Danielle went back to school and became a certified dog trainer and behavior specialist. Now she works with other dogs that have special needs and is always happy to help any owners who need advice on how to deal with their Iraqi dog.

"K-Pot is still a work in progress," Danielle says, "but he's made a 100 percent improvement from the frightened animal that came out of Iraq."

Today Matt works in Charleston, South Carolina. He lives in an apartment, which is an unsuitable environment for a dog with as much energy as K-Pot, but Matt visits his old buddy at his sister's house as often as he can. Danielle said, "The whole time Matt is here, K-Pot won't leave Matt's side. The bond between my brother and that dog is incredible. It's really special to see."

In February 2011, Matt and Danielle flew to Iraq as part of Operation Baghdad Pups' Missions # 84 and 85, bringing between them five animals home to the States. After they returned from their long journey, Danielle wrote to me:

"All I can say is that my life has been forever changed by the Operation Baghdad Pups program. I cannot imagine my life, or those of my family, without K-Pot in it.

"I have experienced the adventures of a lifetime, forged incredible friendships, and renewed old ones. I have witnessed the healing power of animals in even the most horrific conditions and seen humane programs blossom in places where animals are considered garbage. I've learned how to become a true pack leader among incredibly challenging animals as well as humans!"