U.S. Soldiers Turn To Long Island's Paws Of War To Save Dog

NESCONSET, NY — Paws of War, a Nesconset-based nonprofit, has recently received dozens of calls from servicemen and women who had rescued an animal while serving overseas and faced the idea of having to leave them behind, according to a news release. The organization has more than 15 rescues underway on behalf of American soldiers.

Duke is one such dog who was rescued near a base overseas, according to Paws of War. He is a loving dog who provided comfort and joy to the soldiers. One day, he stopped showing up. The soldiers, fearing the worst, searched for him but could not find him. A few days later, Duke showed up. He was wounded and bleeding from his leg, according to Paws of War.

"Everyone is thinking of our troops serving overseas right now and they want to help in some way," said Dereck Cartright, a disabled veteran who is the stateside logistics coordinator for Paws of War, via news release. "Being able to lift their spirits is a great way to help. If we all come together we can rescue Duke and bring him to safety for them, which will boost their morale, and it gives them one less thing to worry about."

For those who would like to make a donation towards relocating Duke to the U.S., you can do so here.

The soldiers wanted to help but didn’t know what to do, according to Paws of War. One soldier, Sergeant Chelsey in the U.S. Army, who was especially close to Duke, was able to get some bandages on his leg and got him to eat some food. Knowing the Duke didn’t stand a chance on his own, Chelsey reached out to Paws of War. The soldiers rallied together to protect and save Duke until help arrived from a veterinary medical team sent by Paws of War.

Paws of War was able to get Duke to one of its partner rescues. There, he was able to get the veterinary treatment he needed. The nonprofit believes Duke got hit by a bullet, breaking the bone in his leg. His leg was surgically repaired, and additional treatments and medications were given to attend to a serious skin condition.

"He has a long road to recovery but he is a fighter," Paws of War stated.

With the soldiers' deployment back to the states being far off, and the chaotic nature of their deployments, they resolved to get Duke to safety in the U.S.

Saving Duke is "so important" to the soldiers, according to the nonprofit.

"We absolutely want to help put a smile on their face and ensure they don’t have to worry about Duke surviving," Cartright said. "We are happy to help them with this mission and hope that many people in the community will want to support it as well. We can’t do it without their support."

Donations will go towards covering the cost of Duke's veterinary care and rehab, as well as his relocation to the United States. The hope is he will find a loving forever home.

"Long after the battles are fought, our service men and women come home with the physical and mental scars of war," Paws of War stated. "The dogs and cats we rescue for our heroes not only save the soldier from having the trauma of leaving their beloved pet behind to die, they also are companion animals for the soldier providing immeasurable support for them when they return home."

Paws of War runs several programs serving veterans and first responders. The War Torn Pups & Cats program helps soldiers who have rescued a dog or cat overseas, bring them to safety where they are companion animals for the soldier. Paws of War also provides service dog training, free veterinary care, a companion animal adoption program for veterans and first responders, and an outreach program for homebound disabled veterans.