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Happy Tails
The Story of Halo
 From the soldier of LuLu:
Halo was the camp dog when we arrived here with our pups. About a month and half after we arrived the guys who took her in had to leave to return home. Halo was depressed for a good week. I could tell she was a very sensitive and special dog. However, she did have the puppies to keep her occupied and the filled her days with good ole dog activities. Once the new group of guys came we realized that none of the dogs would be completely safe here anymore and soon the pups left her too. Halo was pretty heartbroke which broke my heart. I began to focus all my spare time on her. Not only didi she need it but so did I. We became best friends. She slept with me and escorted me to our outdoor showers every night. Unfortunately, there were guys on the camp who couldn't see just how special she was. One night a few of them chased Halo all around the camp trying to tape her up to shoot her. Luckily our female medic stepped in and Halo was able to find a good hiding spot. That's when I contacted all the ladies that helped us rescue our LuLu and Betty. I miss her but I know that she is on a journey to a good home.
From PRM:
Our beautiful girl Halo was in need of a home because the two soldiers who were with her had already adopted puppies but knew that Halo would not survive once they left. We began raising funds for Halo in hopes that we would find her the perfect home. Then, we received an email from a soldier named James that read as follows: "I just read the profil for Heavenly Halo - how can I adopt her? She was my dog in Afghanistan, I traded a soccer ball to some kids for her when she was only a puppy. I actually spayed her myself when she was old enough. She slept in my bed with me every night for like 4 months until I had to leave country. I thought the guys taking over for us when we left would take care of her, but apparently they tried to kill her. Thank God for LuLu. Please let me know what I need to do to adopt her." We immediately looked in who James was and if this story was truly the miracle it appeared to be...and sure enough, it was! James was Halo's soldier for months while he was serving in Afghanistan...and, by chance, he found her on the PRM site. If this isn't a miracle, we don't know what is.
The Story of Oreo
From Oreo's soldier:
I am writing to you because I have been told that my lil girl Oreo has a limited amount of time here with us on my COP. I have taken care of her, gotten her shots mailed from home. She had a pretty good set-up. I knew there was going to come a day when I would have to leave and go home and thought I had time to try and take her with. Yesterday, I was ordered to remove her food bowls, blanket and stop feeding her. She is sad, but didn't go away. She is still outside my tent. I have been told that it is just a matter of time before they will be "putting down" the remaining dogs that are around here.
I don't quite know what to do? I snuck her food and have been giving my friends food to give her. They ordered me, not them, after all.
Oreo is 8 months old +/-. I would have to say. I paid my driver $100 to run her up there and will continue to send you money for her care and to get her fund going. I have had a fellow Sgt take pictures and I will get them to you ASAP. I am sure that I can get the ball rolling with help from the other soldiers here as well as my facebook network. I also look forward to continuing to work to help this cause even after we get Oreo to her forever home.
Thanks a ton, let me know if there is anything else that I can do in the meantime!
She should arrive (at the shelter) in the next couple of hours...I miss her already but it is such a relief to know she is safe.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Why rescue animals in other countries when local shelters are full of adoptable pets?
How much does it cost to rescue an animal?
Why are certain details kept confidential (i.e., location of the transit facility, identity of the soldier, projected arrival dates of the animals, etc)?
Do you ever have any animals who are available for adoption or who need foster homes?
What is the process if a soldier needs assistance bringing his war zone companion animal home?
What is the difference between The Puppy Rescue Mission and Sasha’s Legacy?
How can I help?
Why rescue animals in other countries when local shelters are full of adoptable pets?
 Our primary mission is to help bring home the companions to our soldiers serving in a war zone. These companions already have homes waiting for them -- they just need help getting there. TPRM believes that these beloved companions have at times not only physically saved our soldiers from harm but have also filled an emotional need for a sense of home and normalcy in a hostile and dangerous environment.
These companions make our soldiers' lives better. Their unconditional love is critical to the morale of our troops. And as demonstrated by the attack on the suicide bomber, these dogs protect our soldiers from harm. In return, our soldiers want to save their companions from this dangerous world when they are transferred home. TPRM responds to our soldiers' requests for help by raising funds and helping find the means to transport their friends.
TPRM believes this rescue mission has a place among all the organizations working both globally and domestically to save animals from cruelty and death. We believe that in supporting our soldiers' urgent requests to help save their companions, we are not only supporting our fighting men and women but also helping to save the helpless from a cruel world. In the words of our founder, "No soldier should ever be faced with the decision of leaving their beloved animal behind....".
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 How much does it cost to rescue an animal?
Costs constantly change as a result of working in a war zone, in a third-world country, and at a great distance. Costs are incurred to cover:
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Transportation from field to safety. The greater the distance, the more dangerous the area, the greater the cost.
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Boarding/kenneling, both before and during transport home. Unplanned layovers can and usually do occur during flights home.
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Medical exams, possible spay/neuter, vaccinations, treatments, usually before and sometimes during transport home as required.
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Air flights home, through several countries. Distance, weather conditions, flight delays and/or cancellations, sudden political unrest, changes in routes, fuel surcharge, size of animal, handling fees, all affect cost. Oversea routes are the most changeable but can happen domestically as well.
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Kennels/Crates for transport home. Purchasing and safely shipping crates is subject to the same issues as flying pets.
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Transition home. There is usually another airport vet check in the States, and often another airport boarding cost while awaiting a final flight home, plus cost of the last flight, or cost for drivers if no flight is available.
In other words, costs can change suddenly. The total cost of rescuing an adult dog in February 2011 can reach as high as $4000 at times. For an adult cat, it can reach $2000. The soldiers pay their part and TPRM does the fund raising for the remainder.
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Why are certain details kept confidential (i.e., location of the transit facility, identity of the soldier, projected arrival dates of the animals, etc)?
 Due to the dangerous conditions in this part of the world, identities and locations of those who are involved in assisting animals must be held confidential to ensure the safety of the transit facility workers and those soldiers who are involved in the rescues. Also, due to various issues that can arise both within the borders of the country or internationally, we can never predict when a rescue will be cancelled or postponed due to illness, heightened security concerns, logistical issues, weather problems, etc. For that reason, we do not announce an animal's travel plans.
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Do you ever have any animals who are available for adoption or who need foster homes?
Occasionally we do have animals who are in need of a home. It is not uncommon for a soldier to bring their battle buddy to the transit facility for safety before they depart the war zone. Although they would like nothing more than to bring the animal home with them, it isn’t always possible; therefore, we do our best to help the transit facility find a suitable and loving home for them. This is done through Sasha's Legacy, which has its own Facebook page as well, and is run by our Foster/Adopt Committee. Foster homes are also sometimes needed if an animal arrives in the States prior to the soldier's return and there is no one to look after it until the soldier arrives.
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What is the process if a soldier needs assistance bringing his war zone companion animal home?
 Anyone in the military who is interested in bringing a battle buddy home should contact Anna Cannan by email. Anna will then contact you to discuss the process, evaluate the situation and explain the next steps to take.
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What is the difference between The Puppy Rescue Mission and Sasha’s Legacy?
The Puppy Rescue Mission is dedicated to rescuing the companion animals of our troops. Sasha’s Legacy primarily focuses on finding homes for animals that were brought to the transit facility by soldiers so they'd be safe, but they are unable to adopt them themselves.
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How can I help?
There are lots of ways you can help in addition to your financial contributions. Please visit our Contact page to learn more. Also, we would appreciate your sharing our website and Facebook page with your friends and family. Thank you for your support!
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