After a long summer of sweltering heat that forces airlines to impose restrictions on animal travel in the Middle East, SPCA International’s rescue experts were able to go back to Baghdad last week and save 18 U.S. soldiers’ companions.   Dusty, Zada, Demon, Stryker, Dude, Maggie, Stinky, and DH, along with twelve others, landed safely at Dulles International Airport in Virginia.  

Stryker has an especially sweet story of rescue and survival.  On patrol with his unit in Baghdad, National Guardsman Zachery Wolf heard a small cry.  As the team looked around to see where the cry was coming from, they discovered a bag of cement mix that someone had poured water into. Inside the bag, stuck in the hardened cement was a tinny puppy yelping for help.  Zachery and his team were horrified, but their duties prevented them from helping the little pup immediately.  The team, faithful to their mission, moved on to complete their vital patrol with the trapped puppy’s cries echoing in their ears.  

As soon as their patrol was complete, Zachery and the others found a chisel and headed back out to free the dog.  It was painstaking work.  Careful not to hurt the trapped pup, they chiseled him out one leg at a time.  Sure he had not eaten in days the team brought him back to the base for some chow and named their new friend Stryker.  Stryker bonded with his rescuers immediately.  Zachery felt their meeting was fate and knew he had to get the furry survivor to a new life in the United States.  When he heard of Operation Baghdad Pups, Zachery contacted SPCA International immediately to ask for help.  On October 3rd 2009, Zachery and Stryker reunited at Dulles International Airport.  Today, Stryker and Zachery are living the good life together in Mercersburg, PA.  

Requests from soldiers like Zachery serving in Iraq continue to flood in, making it necessary to schedule a second group of missions this fall.  Animals like Stryker have brought continuous love and companionship to our troops living in the combat zone.  Please help us bring more companions like Stryker home for our troops - donate today!

Visit the Rescue Mission Photos section to see all the dogs and cats Operation Baghdad Pups has saved.