Refuge51

Dog walks 70 miles through war zone to find his master | WFTS-TV | First in HD



IRAQ -- Their friendship began half way across the world in Iraq, when St. Petersburg native Major Brian Dennis encountered a mixed breed dog in Anbar Province. The dog had been savagely abused and his ears cut off.

The marine decided to call him Nubbs.

In e-mails to his mother, Marsha Cargo in Tierra Verde, Major Dennis wrote how he was "dumbfounded" when he learned Nubbs' ears were cut off purposely by an Iraqi to make him tough and more alert. Nubbs, he said, was ordained a fighting dog.

Four months passed, and the bond between man and his four legged friend grew. Nubbs, was dealt severe blows in his short life, including being stabbed by a screwdriver. The major shared his distress with his mother.

“He tried sleeping with him that night because it was 18 degree temperature and he was afraid he was not going to live through the night. So out of his back pack, he took Neosporin and covered the wound,” Cargo said.

Major Dennis nursed Nubbs back to health...and here is where this friendship takes a remarkable turn: Major Dennis was ordered to move his squadron 70 miles away. He complied.

His mother shared her son's surprise of a lifetime, “Two days later he was out there working on a vehicle in the front yard and all of a sudden here comes Nubbs. He had tracked Brian 70 miles across the desert in 18 degree temperature while being wounded.”

Despite strict rules, Major Dennis wrote to his mother, he had to help this dog. "I won't even address the gauntlet. He had to run off a pack of dogs, wolves and god knows what else to get here...when he arrived he looked like he had been through a war zone," Dennis wrote.

Weeks went by, and Nubbs was dealt another blow,

“Someone told on them that they had the dog and they had 4 days to get rid of him or Nubbs was going to be shot,” Cargo said.

That’s when the Marine made it his mission to get Nubbs to safety. He wrote, “Nubbs was going to America, this dog had been through a lifetime of fighting war, abuse, and had tracked our team over 70 miles of harsh desert (and) was going to live the good life."

The major started an e-mail campaign that crisscrossed continents. Within two days there was three thousand dollars to bring Nubbs home.

“The hardest part was getting him across the Jordanian border,” Cargo told us.

But, in keeping with the rest of this story, the duo defied the odds. Major Dennis was able to get Nubbs into Jordan. A family here in The U.S. will take care of him there until these friends can be reunited.

“I almost feel like Brian is his guardian angel and maybe he is Brian's guardian angel,” Cargo said.

Jonesy

Strange nose beasts. They are cute and affectionate though. They make sure you're never lonely... for what it's worth.

Refuge51

It's worth everything! If anyone ever wondered how it feels to be loved unconditionally, a pet's love is exactly that.

Chantytown

I love this story.

Loving animals speaks to the character of a person.

I don't trust people who don't like animals.

Veronica

Me either. Owning a pet teaches you compassion for another living thing.

Refuge51

Exactly. I don't understand anyone who doesn't like animals. How could anyone not like animals?

Chantytown

Right?

In my experience it's people without a capacity for compassion.

Refuge51

And they call us the crazy or obsessed ones.Simply because we possess compassion and a passion to change things for the better.

Kanadesaga

What always amazes me is how quickly large sums of money can be raised when talking about an individual situation. Yet, how many don't give a rat's ass about the dogs in their own neighborhoods. Or when some animal has been in the news and there are hundreds of people willing to take that animal in. But those same people won't go to their local shelter and save a life. Those animals aren't "famous". Don't get me wrong, there are a lot of good people out there and they do what they can, some above and beyond. And if my city allowed more than three dogs I would have about 50. All neutered.

Still it is a great story.

__________________
"..., because hope don't park the motherfucking car."

HarperLee

I see your point -- but I would say that some of us just can't bear
to see dogs that may not be adopted. When I adopted my dog ten
years ago, there was an older female dog who warmed to me and whom the shelter people tried to urge me to adopt. She had heartworm and needed daily medication and, as I said, she was older,
maybe eight. I had just suffered the loss of a beloved dog and was
simply unable to fall in love with another dog who might not live that long. But to this day, I feel guilty because I did not adopt that dog.