Homeward Bound

Today's Times Online in the UK has a story about US Sergeant Gwen Beberg and her efforts to be reunited with Ratchet, a dog she rescued while serving in Iraq.

The most chilling part of the article is this:

So far the programme claims to have facilitated the transfer to America of fifty dogs and six cats. Terry Crisp, of Operation Baghdad Pups, flew to Dubai yesterday and is due to arrive in the Iraqi capital tomorrow to speak to members of the military. “Iraqis view dogs and cats as rats, as nuisances, carriers of disease,” she said, noting that US soldiers had rescued many abused animals, such as a puppy that was being kicked by a circle of Iraqi men.

Operation Baghdad Pups was born last year to help soldiers bring these dogs back to the US to be reunited with the soldiers that saved them, but it's a very time consuming (and costly) process.

I donated $50 this morning, mostly because I'm a sucker for saving dogs, but also because it reminded me of a visit to Greece back in 2001. In the port of Katakolon, we stepped off a cruise ship and were met by a cute black lab mix, but were horrified when he turned around to follow us.

Instead of a tail, he had a mangled stump, partially grown over with hair and covered in scabs. One of the Costa cruise employees explained to us the dog had drawn the wrath over one of the locals, who used a machete to chop the dog's tail off, hoping it would leave him alone.

I still get sick to my stomach thinking about it.

People killing people I can understand on a certain level. People doing these kinds of things to dogs, though....there aren't enough tortures in the world that can be inflicted on these people to satisfy me.

If you can, please donate something to help these dogs today.