When soldiers are deployed to foreign countries for extended periods of time, their sense of family and home is completely cut off. Emotions and sense of self must be kept at bay to face the daily rigors of military service.
For many soldiers this can be a tremendously difficult part of military life. Given the opportunity to hold, love, nurture and cling to a puppy with the unconditional love that’s returned, it’s no wonder that soldiers readily adopt and care for stray dogs in war zones.
Solders tenderly feed these puppies from their own plates giving up food meant to sustain them though the chaos that surrounds them. And, the puppies suddenly have a warm place to hide from the unbearable devastation that surrounds them. A symbiotic relationship exists and builds.
For many soldiers the relationship with these pups continues for their entire deployment-sometimes more than a year. Having to leave a puppy that has become dependent on them for sustenance , love and companionship can be unbearable, and worse for the soldier. Those of us who have family pets can empathize. Having your cherished family companion snatched away would be devastating.
The Puppy Rescue Mission was organized to change this. A non-profit organization, donations to TPRM provides funds for transporting these companions from war zones to the homes of their adopted families.
There are detractors who say, “Why bring dogs from other countries when there are so many dogs helpless in shelters herE in the states?” Here is TPRM’s response to that question:
“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 (read this story on the TPRM website at http://www.thepuppyrescuemission.org/), 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.
If you have any doubts about this need, go to TPRM website at www.thepuppyrescuemission.org. It will change your mind.
On the other end of the spectrum, and proving that the bond between family companions is everlasting, watch the joyful reaction of family pets as their companions return home from military service. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iD3cgDRsDck&;;feature=youtube_gdata_player.