We don’t get to choose when or where we fall in love, even if it happens to be inconvenient.
Sergeant Charity Webb was certainly not expecting to adopt a puppy while she was stationed in Europe last fall. The Army cook simply took a liking to a dog who was hanging around. But after the dog gave birth to a litter of puppies, the runt of the litter basically adopted her.
“I was like the one person that was able to hold her where she wouldn’t freak out or cry hysterically,” Charity said. “It just took weeks of like trying to get her more socialized and feeding her and showing her it’s OK to be around these big people. She was so tiny, she had just been born, so she wasn’t used to all that.”
When the city’s dog catchers came looking for strays, Charity protected the puppy, whom she named Pup Pup. Where she was stationed at the time, unwanted animals are euthanized routinely, so the sergeant knew leaving Pup Pup behind would mean certain death for her new canine bestie.
As her deployment came to an end, Charity started desperately searching for a way to get the dog home with her.
One day, a soldier friend told her about a charity called Paws of War, which specializes in reuniting soldiers with animals they met overseas. The nonprofit is completely free for active members of the military and relies on donations to pay the $7,000 cost of each animal rescue mission.
Paws of War founder Robert Misseri stepped up to get Pup Pup home if they could raise the cash. Thankfully, the New York Post came through with a story that raised awareness and encouraged donations.
“Once The Post picked up the story, it not only raised enough money for Pup Pup but it raised enough money for a second dog,” Robert said.
After months of planning, Pup Pup finally landed in her forever home near Fort Campbell, Kentucky, in February.
“I didn’t know if she’d remember me, but once she got around me and got in the house and stuff, she was a completely chill dog, like how she was when she was a puppy,” Charity said.
Pup Pup is so happy in her new home, and Charity can’t thank all their donors enough for making the reunion possible.
“I just want to say thank you because without them a lot of animals that people have grown attached to would be like put down and I’m grateful for them,”she said.
Our military personnel do so much for our country, so it’s wonderful to see people doing something like this to show their appreciation! Many thanks to everyone who made this adorable homecoming happen.
Watch Charity reunite with Pup Pup in the video below, and don’t forget to share this story.
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