In the desert, a lonely soldier stumbles upon a listless dog. They trade glances. The soldier speaks a few sympathetic words and offers the pathetic pup a pat on the back. The dog whimpers. And in this seemingly mundane exchange, both of their lives are forever changed. In the four-legged creature, the soldier finds companionship, hope and a sense of normalcy that’s been missing in his life since he found his way to Afghanistan. In the soldier, the dog finds safety, comfort and an affection he’s never known. Over the days and months ahead, man and his beloved new best friend form an unbreakable bond made only stronger by the stresses of war, chaos, destruction and discord. And then, it’s time for the soldier to return home - without his battle buddy.

No Dog Gets Left Behind provides financial support to reunite military personnel with the stray animals they found and bonded with while at war - a $4,500-per-pet expenditure that includes vaccines, medical treatment, transportation and more. While the financial investment is high, the relief, comfort and joy this program provides soldiers is immeasurable. To date we have brought home over 40 dogs to be reunited with his/her soldier.

How to help? You can support No Dog Gets Left Behind by making a donation or purchasing No Dog Gets Left Behind merchandise - a simple, affordable yet profoundly impactful gesture. If you are interested in volunteering or fundraising, please contact us. Can we count on your help today?

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EVENTS

REUNION UPDATES

MAGGIE

SOLDIER AARON's STORY: “I formed a friendship with a pup we call “Maggie.” We kind of found each other. Our unit  adopted her, providing her food, shelter, toys and most of all, love. She will go on patrols around the perimeter of our base all on her own and returns for treats and belly rubs. She is very smart and playful. She is also very intuitive. A couple months ago,  our base lost a soldier. The mood and moral were very low. Maggie almost knew something had happened. She was calm and visited each of us and would lay at our feet. She was there, providing comfort to us during this time. As with wartime, the mission continues and things are back to “normal.” Maggie is playful and helps the days go by a little quicker for most of us. When we move out, she may not survive. We found her as a puppy and began taking care of her right away - she won’t survive on her own.”

 REUNION UPDATES                                            

 

Airman Alex was still on deployment when Salem arrived in the USA. Both were patiently waiting to meet again. The reunion took place on Aug 4th. We think this picture demonstrates their amazing bond.

RIFLE 

 

 

Soldier Justin writes, "I just wanted to give a heads up on Rifle so far. He made it safely to the states! I was actually lucky enough to be home on leave when he arrived. Khrystyna and I picked him up in Chicago so he got a taste of the US immediately. He is doing fine, very playful and seems to be very happy in his new home! We can't thank everyone enough for their hard work with getting him home. I've attached a few pictures from the day we got him at the airport. I'll keep everyone posted on his progress, and thanks again for all the help!

 MONKEY

 

Monkey Update: Soldier Bud wife writes from Montana, “I still can't believe Monkey was a stray in Africa two months ago. She is getting fat and refuses to leave the house in this cold weather. I have to carry her out the door, little legs stiff as a piñata. To be fair it was only 36 above on our morning walk