It’s difficult to be far from home and everything you know and love, but it’s something our service people do every day.
Recently, a group of U.S. Army soldiers, who were deployed in Afghanistan, discovered a stray dog searching for food on their base. They named him “Duke,” and he quickly became a bright point in their daily lives. Sergeant Chelsey got especially close with the dog, so when Duke disappeared one day, he was really worried.
A few days later, the soldiers’ worst fears were confirmed when Duke reappeared. He’d been shot in the leg, and he was dehydrated, exhausted, and bleeding badly. Sergeant Chelsey reached out to Paws of War, a nonprofit that rescues dogs and cats for troops who are serving overseas. The organization jumped into action, dispatching a veterinarian to examine Duke and bring him to the clinic for treatment.
Vets discovered that Duke’s leg bone was shattered, and it required a big surgery to fix it. After that, he had to do months of rehab just to be able to walk again. While he was there, they were also able to cure a painful skin condition he’d likely lived with for years.
Paws of War started a donation fundraiser to cover Duke’s vet bills and transport expenses. People were incredibly generous when they heard his story, quickly raising the necessary funds to bring Duke home.
“Paws of War is thrilled to announce, that due to the overwhelming support Duke’s rescue mission has been funded. We will be providing Duke with lifetime veterinary care and training.” they wrote on their website. “We continue our mission to save the many rescued animals of our heroic servicemen and women deployed overseas.”
Sergeant Chelsey and his family stepped up to adopt Duke, which means the grateful dog will be there waiting for him once his deployment ends!
His new family has released videos of him enjoying his first Christmas at home, and he couldn’t look happier or cuter if he tried.
Watch Duke living his best life in the video below, and be sure to share to spread the word about the important work Paws of War is doing for our soldiers overseas.
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