So Long Lucy So Long Grizz

The final puppy from our winter litters went home today. Lucy stayed with us longer than any puppy so far, almost seven months. She is such a sweety with her tail always wagging no matter what. We are glad to have found the perfect home for her. So in all it has been a bittersweet day. Happy for Lucy. Sadness over the news we received from J in Afghanistan.

After J arrived in Afghanistan, he started talking about seeing a couple dogs all the time that hang around the base. One almost got shot because it was hanging out at the firing range. One of the dogs soon became a room mate and would go out with them on missions. They named him Grizz, like grizzle bear. One of the guy's family sent them a collar for Grizz with their platoon emblem. We sent them dewormer, you never know what dogs eat. Everything was great until another camp dog bit one of the trained ARMY dogs. Then the order went out to get rid of the camp dogs. J saw a few of them shot including a pregnant bitch that was sleeping under their quarters. So he says they kidnapped Grizz and took him up and left him in the mountains. Not long after that J came home on leave and was gone for 30 days. He just returned this week to Afghanistan to find his best friend there had been transferred out of his platoon. Then J writes that he had sad news about Grizz. Said he carried him up the hill and tied him to a post and stood there while Grizz got shot. J said that at least he got to be there with him at the end. While I understand the orders and the need to protect the trained dogs, at the same time I hate to see an animal put down for no reason and hurt for my son loosing his friend.