Military Dog Stranded After Heroic Service, Desperate for Ride Home to New Family
There are quite a few working dog breeds that draw a lot of attention for their looks and skills but aren’t for everyone. Certain lines of German shepherds and especially Belgian Malinois (affectionately known by some trainers and handlers as Malligators) are striking dogs, but they need the right owners to really thrive.
Part of the reason these dogs do so well in police and military work is that they have intense drive and absolutely must have a job to keep them busy. If they are allowed to become bored, they will create their own “jobs” that generally end up getting them in trouble.
So when someone familiar with these kinds of dogs and their needs steps forward to adopt one, it’s a match made in heaven.
That seems to be the case for retired military dog Duke and Navy Petty Officer Second Class Adrianna, who volunteered to take him in when no one else could.
It took a special someone to help Duke out, though, as he’s known for being “the crazy one” and only slowed down when his age started to get to him.
“Duke was assigned to NSA Bahrain as a dual purpose patrol and detector dog where he worked for 7 years conducting searches on vehicles, buildings, and boats,” Paws of War, an organization helping Duke and Adrianna, posted on their website.
“He’s had several handlers who trained him and advanced him during his time as an active military working dog. In 2019 Duke began to show difficulty walking and performing day to day tasks. He was approved for medical retirement in May 2020.
“Petty Officer Second Class Adrianna adopted duke shortly after her first retired working dog passed away from old age. Duke was always known as the crazy one but in retirement he has completely changed.
“He loves snuggles and constantly getting pets. Duke has transitioned so well into retired life and Adrianna can’t wait to allow him to live his retirement in comfort and safety in the country he gave his entire life to protect.”
But now the two are facing a rather large roadblock: Adrianna will be heading back to the states soon, but there’s a lot of paperwork and fees associated with getting Duke stateside, too.
According to People, Adrianna would love to be able to get Duke home in time for the holidays — but it’s going to be close.
That’s where Paws of War and some good Samaritans come in. Their Facebook page, Paws of War, states that they “rescue dogs and cats for troops serving overseas” as well as “train service and support dogs for Veterans & First Responders.”
But those efforts require funding, so the group is reaching out for help to get Duke home. They’ve set up a donation page to help the pair make the transition as painlessly as possible.
“We appreciate all the hard work that WMD Duke did in our military, and we are honored to help bring him back to the U.S.,” co-founder of Paws of War, Robert Misseri, told People. “We will need the help of the community to complete this mission, but we are confident people will want to give back to this military dog who gave so much.”
So far, many have donated to the retired dog’s cause, and just maybe they’ll help pull off a Christmas miracle.
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