Posted on 01/18/2009 5:57:41 PM PST by MplsSteve
Let the record show that Pat Beberg got her daughter's first homecoming hug. But when Ratchet, the dog that Army Specialist Gwen Beberg rescued last fall in Iraq, moved in for a slurpy kiss, everyone in Fridley's VFW hall sighed with a collective, "Awwwwww."
"Hey, baby. Oh, you got so big -- Oh, you got so big," said the soldier to the pup. "Yeah, who's home? Who's home, huh?"
The two were reunited Saturday as Beberg returned to Spring Lake Park, completing a tour of duty that unexpectedly led to a cause célèbre. Rachet arrived in October, after Beberg's efforts, coupled with almost 70,000 people signing online petitions and a little congressional nudging, prompted military officials to loosen the prohibition on U.S. troops adopting pets in Iraq.
Friends, family and supporters gathered at VFW Post 363 to witness the reunion, as well as to pay tribute to Beberg for her service. "I wish every soldier in the world, past, present and future, came home to a welcome like this," she said to about 60 people.
Then she made a pitch for supporting Operation Baghdad Pups, a branch of SPCA International that rescues dogs and cats adopted by U.S. military personnel. More than 50 pets have been relocated to the United States.
(Excerpt) Read more at startribune.com ...
Comments or opinions - anyone?
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Doggie ping!!
I can understand how hard it would be to become close to a dog during trying times and than have to walk away and leave it.
Thanks for the ping Peace4EarthNow.
WOOF-WOOF!!!
“Awwwwww.”
Thanks for posting this story. It’s nice to have one’s heart warmed.
DH says there are tons of dogs hanging around his COP.
I told him he should keep his surgical skills sharp by opening a spay and neuter clinic!
Doggie pings can be happy and they can be very sad ones too. I hate the sad ones.
I’ve always been a sucker for big black dogs. We’re on our third baby, plus her pesky Jack Russell little brother. Love those doggies!
Glad Ratchet is home!
Heart Warming Stories in the age of “global warming” and sub zero temperatures in the mid-West are always welcome.
I didn’t think there were many dogs in Iraq due to the Moslem prohibitions against them. Glad they’re getting a reprieve. ASPCA is a good organization (unlike PETA).
I’ll bet that Ratchet follows Gwen around constantly, and tries to keep her from leaving the house without him.
Streamlining this process so lots of combat zone veterans could do it without having to put up a fight, would save taxpayers a bundle on psychiatric care for veterans.
And he could pitch it as a public health service, reduce the number of puppies and hence canine-to-human disease transmission . . . .
I asked my husband about it when he mentioned the dogs. He said they aren’t pets and aren’t allowed in houses. I think they hang around because the Americans treat them so well. Let me see if I can upload some photos of the COP dogs.
He’s the chief medical officer there. I think it’s a matter of supplies. They’re pretty remote.
Bump
Even Iraqi dogs are living better lives
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