Army Sergeant Aims To Rescue Dog; Nesconset Nonprofit Is Helping

NESCONSET, NY — A United States Army sergeant has teamed up with Paws of War, a Nesconset-based nonprofit, for help in sending the dog he met overseas home to the U.S.

Sgt. Kris, while stationed in a war-torn area, met a dog he named Scappy. He saved Scappy from death once, but he's hoping to do it again by bringing him back to America.

"We are always happy to help those in the military with getting their rescued pet to safety in the U.S.," Dereck Cartright, a disabled veteran who is the stateside logistics coordinator at Paws of War, said via news release. "We realize the important role their dog plays while they are stationed overseas and when they return home. However, we can’t do it alone. It’s a mission that we need the public to help with."

Paws of War is asking for people to donate to help Sgt. Kris and Scappy.

Sgt. Kris was on patrol with his team when they saw something under an abandoned railcar. It turned out to be a puppy. They thought he was dead, as he appeared lifeless. However, the puppy was still alive but in critical condition. The team immediately helped the dog, knowing they could not leave him to die.

Once they had the puppy in a safe place, the soldiers were able to begin nursing him back to health. They named the puppy Scappy, and he began to get stronger by the day. Scappy formed a strong bond with Sgt. Kris, who he followed around and curled up with whenever possible.

However, Sgt. Kris and his team have been given orders that they will be redeployed to a new location. Leaving the dog there to go back on the dangerous streets and fend for himself is something Sgt. Kris can’t imagine, according to Paws of War.

"There isn’t much life for him here," Sgt. Kris said via release. "We’ve seen the lives the dogs have to live here, many suffer and die. It would break our hearts knowing he’s out there fending for himself. We will not leave him here. Our greatest wish is to get Scappy to a safe and happy home with me in the United States."

Sgt. Kris reached out to Paws of War to make his dream a reality, so Scappy can live out his life with the sergeant's family.

The organization has a reputation for helping military members of every branch. One of the services it provides is helping them to bring their rescued pet back from deployment. There are soldiers who rescue dogs and cats while they are deployed, and those animals play an important companionship role while they are away from their family for so long, and help them adjust to civilian life when they return.

With June 14 marking the 246th anniversary of the creation of the U.S. Army, Paws of War hopes people will celebrate the Army's birthday by helping out Sgt. Kris.

Paws of War can only help Sgt. Kris bring Scappy home if it has the help of the community, because it’s a costly mission with multiple forms of transport needed through different countries around the globe. The organization has a strong network of support that helps it navigate through the challenges and logistics of rescuing a pet overseas and to pay for the care, veterinary treatments, paperwork, and flights that are involved in the mission.

Paws of War helps soldiers bring their rescued dogs and cats to America after serving their country overseas through its War Torn Pups and Cats program.