Rescued Iraqi dog flown to America

Life in Iraq can be tough on a dog. Count Nubs among the luckiest. He got out thanks to a San Diego-based Marine, Maj. Brian Dennis, who befriended him and then had him flown home.

Dennis, who is based at Miramar Marine Corps Air Station, is serving along the border between Iraq and Syria, where he is helping to train Iraqis. It's rough terrain. Nubs and other dogs lived in an old Iraqi fort and survived on food scraps.

Nubs ran wild and Dennis grew fond of him. Dennis didn't think the relationship would last. He's in a war zone, after all. When Dennis and his team were ordered to move 70 miles away, he figured life with Nubs was over.

It wasn't. Nubs somehow tracked the Marines to their new location, showing up two days after they did. Dennis was amazed. He was convinced then that he couldn't leave this dog behind. He wrote home, saying he wanted to take Nubs back to the U.S.

Friends rallied, raising more than $3,500, and the wheels were put in motion.

Yesterday, after a couple stops along the way, Nubs flew to his new home in the U.S.

(Note that military policy prohibits having pets in war zones, and Dennis was given four days to get the dog off the base or kill him. Read more about Nubs' adventures in Iraq here.)

Comments

[sonia pacheco]

thats so cool what a great story. Nubs your sooooo cute.

[Evelyn T]

It is wonderful that in the midst of all sorts of violence, that life can be respected and be counted as worthwhile. Way to go! Semper Fi!

[Peg]

This is the ultimate rescue story--one of those where the dog chooses the person and the person chooses the dog, and everybody pulls together to make it work. Thanks for putting it on your site!

[Devil Dog]

Ooh-rah, Marine. The meaning of Semper Fidelis just got a whole lot deeper.

[Iren]

Really great story!