LI's Paws Of War Aims To Help Soldier Save Her Rescued Puppy

NESCONSET, NY — United States Army Sergeant Char, who is stationed overseas, met a female puppy she named PupPup. Sgt. Char wants to bring PupPup home with her, though it's an expensive process. Nesconset-based Paws of War, a nonprofit, volunteered to help, but it needs donations from the public.

One person trying to pay for the expenses to bring a soldier's rescued dog back to the U.S. from overseas is a costly endeavor, Paws of War said in a news release. When 1,000 people come together and each chip in $5, it’s a game-changer. Getting the needed funds would not only change the life of the soldier but make sure the dog will live a safe and healthy life, the organization said.

“We absolutely want to help bring PupPup back to America," Robert Misseri, co-founder of Paws of War, said via the release. "These overseas rescues are extremely challenging and have a high cost. If we don’t step in to save these dogs and cats, the soldier is forced to leave behind an animal they rescued from a bad situation. An animal they deeply love left behind can become subject to abuse, neglect and, unfortunately, death. It sounds harsh but that is the truth on the ground for our hero soldiers."

Sgt. Char fell in love with PupPup, whose mother was a stray dog who hung around the base and ended up giving birth to a litter of puppies while trying to hide them from danger. The dog was moved to a safer place, giving her the ability to care for her babies. The soldiers had to hide the dog and her puppies from potentially deadly threats on several occasions.

While all the other puppies were quick to warm up to the soldiers, one stayed hidden. She was too shy and afraid to come out. Sgt. Char was immediately drawn to the shy puppy, she focused her love and attention on her by trying to help her get comfortable and ensure she was being fed. The sergeant gained the trust of the dog, who she named PupPup. The two formed a loving bond.

Now that Sgt. Char is scheduled to head back to the U.S., she can’t bear the thought of having to leave her dog behind; she knows PupPup won’t survive, according to Paws of War. Sgt. Char is still the only person PupPup will go to.

"I’m desperately asking Paws of War to help me bring my beautiful helpless PupPup back to America with me because I can’t stand the thought of leaving her behind," Sgt. Char said via the release. "This spot can be very harsh to dogs and I fear she will die if she is left behind. Plus, we have formed such a strong bond that means everything to me. I can’t turn my back on her and would be forever grateful for the help to get her home."

Paws of War is asking for donations to help cover the costs of bringing PupPup home. It is urgently accepting donations so they can save this dog and help this soldier.

If you would like to make a donation to help Sgt. Char rescue PupPup, you can do so here.

Paws of War says it has helped numerous soldiers to bring their rescued animals back to the U.S. However, due to the coronavirus pandemic, the mission is more challenging to pull off. The pandemic has added additional quarantines, medical treatments and challenges transporting animals from remote locations, according to the nonprofit. There are a severely limited number of flights coming into the U.S., especially those allowing dogs. Plus, flights from overseas are costly, and there is a lot of red tape that needs to be addressed.

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