You know I jest with my “Border Wars” rhetoric, but there is a real war going on with real guns and grenades and casualties, and apparently there are real Border Collies in the middle of that war. Border Collies in Baghdad of all places; who would have thought?
One such pup is Charlie and this is his story:
One night, while on guard duty with the US Armed Forces in Iraq, Sgt. Watson’s squadron returned from patrol with a new buddy. Weak, malnourished, and at death’s door, a black and white puppy had decided to adopt the soldiers of the unit known as Charlie Company. Sgt. Watson wrapped the shivering puppy in a blanket, gave it some clean water, a portion of his own rations, and provided what refuge and comfort he could for a poor life he expected would sadly end in a few days – another innocent life cut short in a harsh and unforgiving environment.
But the puppy rallied back, thriving on the care, attention and affection of Sgt. Watson and the members of his platoon. A real survivor, the puppy was named Charlie (after the military unit) and before long the growing puppy bonded not only with Sgt. Watson but with the other soldiers.
You can see video of Sgt. Watson talking about what Charlie means to the troops and how you can help (read: donate money) to bring Charlie to America. The website is called Baghdad Pups.
SPCA International (the Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals) is running “Operation Baghdad Pups, “a major effort to bring U.S. soldiers’ mascots and companion animals back from Iraq.” Obviously, they want some cash to help the effort. After getting all gushy over Lucky Jack, I’m in a giving mood. I wouldn’t ask you to donate to a cause that I haven’t already donated to.
The donation website says:
Donations received for this program will be used in three ways:
1. to cover the costs associated with bringing companion animals, befriended by United States military while serving in the Middle East, to their new homes in the United States;
2. to cover transportation costs for companion animals belonging to active military personnel who need financial assistance for this purpose when they are transferred to another military base;
3. to further the mission of SPCA International to stop euthanizing adoptable and healthy animals. The outcomes of this program will be maintaining the human/animal bond and a reduction in surrendered animals.
Now, I’d prefer that my money was earmarked for #1 or #2, since technically none of the money they might collect would help the Iraqi dogs and would be spent here in the states on CEO salaries and advertising for other fund raisers. The Humane Society (not the SPCA who is doing this program) pulled a stunt like that with the Michael Vick dogs, collecting money for their care when the HSUS didn’t have anything to do with it. But this is the SPCA, so as far as I know, they have a good track record.
Kudos to the Flyball Blog and Johann the Dog for the heads up on this story.
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Anton
Christopher
Lawrence Dillard
Lech
Stephanie
Essere
Good for you Christopher! Thanks for getting the word out. I hope it helps get the pups back here safe and sound!
The pic of the BC – really is haunting, what a cute pup!
Woofs, Johann
Charlie from Iraq is not a border collie, he is a canaan dog cross, which is the one of the largest breeds of dog roaming in large packs over there. It’s a shame the SPCA did not do their home-work better before they started flapping their jaws about saving border collies in Iraq!
I don’t know that the SPCA or anyone else actually identified the dogs by breed. If there’s a misidentification, it’s certainly mine.
Charlie looks like a Border Collie to me (and oh the horror of that statement, given that the Sheeple are adamant that a BC is not what it looks like but what it does). So do the other dogs saved through the Military Mascots program.
Here’s a picture of a similarly coated Canaan dog:
http://www.dog.co.il/Bazak2.jpg
I just don’t think that these dogs have the same thick course hair, the round face, prick ears, and more robust frame of the Canaan dog. The look like Collies to me, not Spitz.
Take a look at the images of “Border Collies” that I will post later today, dogs saved through the Military Mascots program. They all look much more BC than Canaan dog to me.