Dog rescued by Marine in Iraq heading to Calif.
Associated Press
Originally published 11:39 a.m., February 22, 2008
Updated 03:13 p.m., February 22, 2008
Photo by Associated Press
This image provided by Marine Maj. Brian Dennis, of St. Pete Beach, Fla., shows Dennis saying goodbye to his adopted dog, Nubs, near the Iraq-Jordan border on Monday, Feb. 4, 2008. The dog is scheduled to arrive in San Diego this evening.
Photo by Associated Press
Marine Maj. Brian Dennis, of St. Pete Beach, Fla., holds his adopted dog, Nubs.
SAN DIEGO _ It began with a simple act of kindness to save an abused, injured dog from becoming one more victim in the Iraq war.
But what followed for Marine Maj. Brian Dennis and the mutt was a tale of friendship and loyalty that spanned miles and overcame long odds — one set to take a turn Friday with the anticipated arrival here of the Marine's best friend.
"This dog who had been through a lifetime of fighting, war, abuse ... is going to live the good life," Dennis told his family in an e-mail from Iraq.
The tale unfolded in October, a few months after Dennis deployed to Iraq from San Diego to work as part of the military team building infrastructure along the Syria-Iraq border and training Iraqi forces to take over.
Dennis, 36, of St. Pete Beach, Fla., had volunteered for the assignment. It was a departure from his role as a fighter pilot. He had seen the country from the air, but it was different on the ground.
Dennis wrote stories home about the reciprocal relationship that desert dogs, strays wandering outside border towns, had with Iraqis.
"The dogs get to eat the Iraqi scraps and have a home in the middle of the desert," he wrote in an e-mail. "The Iraqis get an incredible early warning system; these dogs hear anything approaching from miles away and go nuts and scramble to defend their territory."
While on patrol in the Anbar province, Dennis spotted what appeared to be a gray and white, male German shepherd-border collie mix. He named the dog Nubs after learning someone cut the ears off believing it would make the dog more aggressive and alert.
Within weeks, Nubs was greeting Dennis during routine patrol stops along border communities. The Marines fed him bits of their food and by November, the Marine and his unit were keeping an eye out for the dog, which routinely chased their Humvees when they departed.
Life on the run, however, was taking a toll on the dog. He had lost a tooth and been bitten in the neck. In late December, Dennis found Nubs near death in freezing temperatures. The dog had been stabbed with a screwdriver.
Dennis rubbed antibiotic creme on the wound and slept with Nubs to keep him warm.
"I really expected when I woke up for watch he would be dead," Dennis wrote. "Somehow he made it through the night."
Dennis thought he had seen the last of the dog days later when his squad headed back to its command post some 65 miles away. He couldn't take the dog with him and watched as it tried to follow the Humvees away from the border.
Two days later, while Dennis and a comrade were working on a Humvee, he looked up and saw the dog staring at him.
"Somehow that crazy damned dog tracked us," he wrote Jan. 9.
But the reunion was short lived. Military policy prohibits having pets in war zones, and Dennis was given four days to get the dog off the base or kill him.
The decision was easy: Nubs was going to San Diego. The logistics, though, were anything but easy.
With help from his Iraqi interpreter, Dennis managed to find a Jordanian veterinarian to get the care and paperwork needed to get the dog to the states. He also negotiated the red tape to get Nubs across the border into Jordan.
His family and close friends helped raise the $3,500 needed to get the dog from Amman, Jordan, to San Diego, said his mother, Marsha Cargo.
"I just can't believe it. Out there in the middle of nowhere these two find each other," Cargo said.
A colleague in San Diego agreed to care for the dog and have it trained until Dennis returns in March from Iraq.
"We anticipate a real steep learning curve for Nubs," Capt. Eric Sjoberg said. "We want him to learn to just be a dog."
For now, though, Dennis will settle for the knowledge that Nubs is finally safe — and waiting for his master to follow him.
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February 22, 2008
noon
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DahmersCookbook writes:
This was heart warming. A tear was welling up in my eye when he tended to the wound and kept him warm through the night. Godbless our troops!
February 22, 2008
12:03 p.m.
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Squatch writes:
Sweet. Looks like a good dog. Dont let Michael Vick know how they treat their dogs over there.
February 22, 2008
12:10 p.m.
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mytwosense writes:
This story brought tears to my eyes, too. The picture of Maj. Dennis cuddling Nubs is priceless! What a good, good man. And an equally wonderful dog.
February 22, 2008
12:10 p.m.
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Patriot writes:
God works in mysterious ways!
February 22, 2008
12:21 p.m.
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Squatch writes:
The bottom picture says it all.
February 22, 2008
12:22 p.m.
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Fresh writes:
good luck pooch
February 22, 2008
1:26 p.m.
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montanarose writes:
Good man, good dog -- good luck to you both! I hope Nubs finds his "forever family" in San Diego. Does anyone know if there's a fund to help defray the Dennis family's expenses in bringing Nubs back to America? I know that I, for one, would love to contribute something to the effort.
February 22, 2008
1:54 p.m.
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Kslayer writes:
What a great story! This is the kind of stuff I like to read about in the paper. Thanks Rocky.
February 22, 2008
2:11 p.m.
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mytwosense writes:
montanarose, I don't know. But I'll tell you, I've heard numerous stories of servicepeople bonding with dogs they have met in Iraq and Afghanistan, and arranging to bring them home. It would be nice if there was an organization devoted to helping them with those costs. Would save a lot of pooches over there, too.
February 22, 2008
2:11 p.m.
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kmeissner writes:
Finally a story that's not about senseless violence! it brought a tear to my eye reading this. Good luck, Nubs!
February 22, 2008
2:17 p.m.
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wanderlust writes:
ooooooo mytwosense, now you're cookin'. what a great idea!
and what a great story.
February 22, 2008
2:52 p.m.
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Darwin writes:
gasgirl_72 said: "It's said that you can tell the character of a man by the way he treats animals. I think Maj. Dennis must be one GOOD man. Here's to another happy reunion when he gets home!"
Well said gasgirl_72 and I echo others who said "God bless our troops and thank you for your service".
February 22, 2008
2:58 p.m.
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Eric writes:
Great story. Great man. Great dog.
February 22, 2008
3:11 p.m.
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Sammie writes:
This heartwarming story really touched me esp since I'm an avid dog lover too. Thank you Major Dennis for giving Nubs a second chance, a new life. Good luck to both of you.
February 22, 2008
3:15 p.m.
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GWBushwacked writes:
I'm a dog person..this is great- something good out of a senseless, needless war.
February 22, 2008
3:33 p.m.
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American100 writes:
There's a special place in Heaven for people like Dennis & dogs like Nubs. I gotta go give my dogs some tlc now.
February 22, 2008
3:51 p.m.
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scalhoun32 writes:
This is an amazing story. I think that Marine deserves a medal for kindness for rescuing Nubs.
February 22, 2008
8:30 p.m.
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titancain writes:
I wonder how many was orphans (children) want to come here to escape a lifetime of war?
You people are idiots!
Free Klondike and Snow! LOL
February 22, 2008
9:56 p.m.
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arby writes:
titancain
A Marine's job is to kill people, not animals. He was sent there to kill as many of the stupid potential suicide bombers and enemies of our freedom as possible. If they left behind orphans that is their fault and not his. But he is still a human and can take pity on a helpless animal. I submit that you are the idiot.
February 25, 2008
10:30 a.m.
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wow writes:
Hey, I found this link for those of ou who wanted to help out.
http://baghdadpups.com/
March 24, 2008
2:21 p.m.
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sachi10 writes:
God bless you Major Brian Dennis & all those that helped bring Nubs here safely! I'm sure that Nubs is alive & well because of the great care you gave him! You not only protected the Iraqi people, but also a sweet dog too. The work our soliders and HEROS do is wonderful! We wish you all many blessings and thank you for the sacrifices you make on behalf of our truly wonderful country! God bless you all & God bless America!