The Farah Pups rescue!

These puppies were rescued along with their mum Riri by some determined soldiers in a land too harsh for them to survive.

The fate of this family had they not met their soldier saviours would have been uncertain to say the least. However, thanks to an extraordinary fundraising effort by the Nowzad Family and help from our friends at No Dogs Get Left Behind, they are now living the American Dream.

Here are their before and after ‘tails’!

Fox's Soldier Saviour’s story ~

The puppies came out of nowhere. It was late, probably around 2am, when someone came to our front step and announced that a litter of puppies had been delivered in the howitzer pit and needed to be moved as soon as possible before the gun went off and they were all killed. The five of us stood up with a newfound sense of purpose and duty and quickly moved to help move the pups and their mom to a safer location. 

Over the next two weeks, I made it my daily mission to keep the puppies and the mom alive. From bringing them fresh water and food throughout the day, to scaring off predators on base, to figuring out ways to keep them cool throughout the miserably hot days, tending to their wellbeing was a fulfilling (if taxing) goal. And when the base took fire at one point during their stay, I found myself thinking about their safety in the midst of the chaos. That’s when I knew I had to take one home. And that’s when I discovered Fox.

Fox was the runt. Fox was also the feistiest. He would blindly fight his way through the squirming puppy pile to find an open teet during feeding time and would end up being one of the first puppies to start walking. I fell in love with the patterns on his face and would melt every time I held him and he comfortably drifted to sleep in my arms. 

When I get home, I’ll find in Fox a friend and companion that can help me adjust back to life in the US. I’ll need his energy to inspire me on days that I have none. He will be a constant a reminder of both hard and good times in Afghanistan.

Fox’s Soldier Saviour’s update:

Fox is home, safe and sound! He experienced a bath today and is settling in well. He’s extremely affectionate and loves all forms of attention! He also is very good motivator and is excited for all his new treats!

Hoosier’s Soldier Saviour’s story:

I am currently a US Army Medic serving in Afghanistan. When I got on this camp I saw a pregnant dog and I made sure to feed her every night in hopes to help her stay as healthy as possible. When the pups were born, myself and a few others primarily took care of the mom and her pups to help the mom as much as possible. The heat and the nasty environment proved challenging for them in the first week. I felt I had to do something more to save them. I ran into someone on the camp who knew how to rescue the dogs and about Nowzad; we instantly got to work on getting them to the Nowzad shelter. One of the pups began to crawl to my feet after a week and I would pick him up and just hold him. I named him Hoosier. I decided that I was going to adopt him because he just made my day every time I went into the bunker where they stayed. I worked with a few others to gather as many people as possible to adopt the rest of the litter because I couldn’t just save one. Please help me to raise the funds to send Hoosier home so I can see my little buddy when I return to the United States and to never be separated again. 

Hoosier's Soldier Saviour’s update ~
He likes watching tv. He is settling in and becoming familiar with the house. And got a bath. Very sweet and curious.

Jasmine’s Soldier Saviour’s story:

 I would love to adopt one of these pups, as I was out there with them spending 2-3 hours each night feeding their mom and taking care of them. I had decided while I was still in Farah that if puppy 7 didn’t get adopted, I would take her home. My wife and I would love to give her a happy home for the rest of her life.

Jasmine's Soldier Saviour’s update ~
I just wanted to say thank you to you and the entire team at Nowzad for everything you all did for Jasmine. She is an amazing dog already. She already understands sit and come too! You all do incredible work and I look forward to supporting Nowzad for as long as I can. Thank you!

Riri's (momma dog!) New Family says:
When we heard the story of RiRi and how the soldiers took her and her pups under their wing, cared for them so lovingly, and are now adopting the pups, it just didn't seem like RiRi should be put back out
on the street. So we would like to adopt RiRi in honor of the soldiers who saved her life and those of her (7!) pups, in honor of the resilience of humans and animals on our planet, even in stressful times,
and in honor of the special role that dogs play in the hearts and lives of us humans. We look forward to giving RiRi a loving and safe home where she can live out her days!

Riri’s Family update ~
Well, Riri continues to be an amazing, amazing dog. Over the past week since she arrived, her fur coat has completely changed. We don't know why, but she now thick, luxurious coat that we hardly recognize.

She is adjusting to her life here with grace.

We look forward to learning more about her day by day, and continue to enjoy her so much. She seems very happy, wagging her tail often and getting love from all that she meets -- other dogs, children (we weren't sure how that would go but she was great with them), and all people.

To help more soldier rescues like these please donate today by clicking here