GA Soldier Fights To Get Abused Puppy Out Of Afghanistan

DALLAS, GA — Timothy Boyd is a Georgia soldier stationed in war-torn Afghanistan who will soon head back to his hometown of Dallas. He desperately wants to bring back Misha, a puppy he saved and has cared for during his stay overseas. If he has to leave her behind, Boyd says her fate, like so many others, will be certain death. He has reached out to Paws of War pleading for help in transporting Misha to America, so he can keep her and let her live out her days in a safe country with those who love her.

“We can’t stand by and let this dog fall back into the hands of cruel people. There has been a fantastic and lasting bond created between Misha and Timothy,” said Robert Misseri, co-founder of Paws of War, in a press release. “We understand his concerns in having to leave her in a place that is very hostile toward dogs, so we are doing everything we can to help make his wish come true and bring the dog to the United States.”

It’s difficult enough for a soldier to spend time in a war zone, with blasts and danger in every direction. But when you add in a puppy that has no idea what is going on, and it falls into the hands of the opposition, it’s a life of cruelty and abuse, often leading to death. That’s what could have happened with Misha, but a U.S. soldier came along and everything changed.

Boyd is a first sergeant stationed at combat post De Alencar, formerly known as Camp Blackfish, Afghanistan. His infantry unit is assisting Special Forces in fighting ISIS-K. Fighting and explosions are a daily part of life in the combat area, and it's where Misha was rescued by the former Special Forces Team when they saw her being dragged by the neck. They rescued her, brought her back to their camp, and gave her medical treatment. She then became a part of their family, and over time, strong bonds have been created.

To help make it possible for Boyd to bring Misha back to the U.S. with him, Paws of War has enlisted the help of Nowzad Dogs, a charity that helps rescue the animals in Afghanistan. There is a lot of red tape that they will need to go through in order to bring Misha back, and there are expenses involved. Through the Mission Misha campaign, they are seeking donations from the community in order to help make the transport possible. Transporting just one dog costs upward of $6,000.

“I am desperately trying to bring this loving fur baby back to my home in Georgia, where she will live a quiet life away from this war-torn country,” said Boyd in a news release. “I appreciate any and all assistance that people can provide in helping to make Mission Misha a successful operation. She needs to come home with me. I can’t imagine it any other way.”

Donate to Mission Misha here.

Paws of War is an organization that provides assistance to military members and their pets, and provides service and therapy dogs to veterans suffering from PTSD. The War Torn Pets Program brings companion animals from war zones to the U.S for military members. To learn more about Paws of War or make a donation to support its efforts, visit its site at: http://pawsofwar.org.

Based in New York, Paws of War is a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization devoted to helping both ends of the leash. The mission of Paws of War is to train and place shelter dogs to serve and provide independence to our United States military veterans who suffer from TBI and/or PTSD. To learn more about Paws of War, visit the site at www.pawsofwar.org.