Michael (left) and Mika (right)

Today, as we
spend time remembering and giving thanks to those men and women who have made
great sacrifices defending our countries and upholding peace and our rights to
a democratic life, let us not forget the dogs who have also served alongside
the military. From bomb and land mine detection to alerting when enemy forces
are near, dogs continue to play a crucial role in the military (see my previous blog about war-dog, Smoky the Yorkshire Terrier). It was therefore timely
that I should receive an email yesterday from Dogwood Rescue seeking
assistance for placement of two English Pointers, Mika and Michael that were
brought over from war-torn Lebanon in 2006, as part of a larger group of 150 dogs
and 145 cats (a rescue made possible by Best Friend’s Animal
Society). After being nursed back to physical and mental health, many of these animals
were adopted into loving homes, including the two Pointers who were luckily adopted
together. Now four years later, the family who adopted them has
unfortunately returned them to Best Friends due to a family break-up. If you, or someone you
know, could give these dogs yet another chance at a forever home, please contact Kristi Littrell at Best Friends or Jennifer Arnold at jrarnold@shaw.ca or Carolyn Pinsent (roypinsent@shaw.ca).

Here’s Jennifer Arnold and Kristi Littrell’s email regarding the two English Pointers needing a forever home: 

Michael & Mika’s story began in war torn
Lebanon. In 2006, internationally renowned, Best Friend’s Animal Society,
located in southern Utah, became involved in the extraordinary rescue of 150
dogs and 145 cats from the only animal welfare group in Lebanon. The animals
were initially moved from their shelter in a Beirut suburb when missiles fell
within 400 meters and shrapnel was found in one of the pens. Workers moved the
animals to an abandoned pig farm but they were not safe there either.
Neighbours complained about the barking dogs and threatened to poison the
animals. At this point, Best Friends answered a plea for help and the result was
the complicated, but ultimately successful foreign rescue of these furry
refugees. Michael and Mika were two of the animals that landed at the Las Vegas
airport on September 26th 2006, where the second leg of their incredible story
began.

My friend, Carolyn and her husband, Roy, my
husband, Rodney, and I have been members of Best Friends Animal Society and
have been making, what has become an annual pilgrimage to the sanctuary in
Southern Utah for the past six years, to volunteer. We were lucky enough to be
at the Sanctuary a week after the animals from Lebanon arrived and thus were
able to help with the daily care of these amazing and resilient animals. This
is where we met, Mika and Michael, two beautiful English Pointers. The animals
were all quarantined for some time and many had to be nursed back to physical
and emotional health. Amazingly, despite the war, despite their grueling
rescue, despite their time in quarantine and in many cases, despite physical
and mental wounds and illnesses, most of these animals rebounded with what can
only be described as gratitude. Many of these animals were eventually adopted
into loving forever homes including, Mika and Michael, who were lucky enough to
be adopted together. My husband and I brought back 9 foster cats and Carolyn
and her husband, Roy, adopted Bella, a beautiful Golden Retriever.

Fast Forward to Oct. 2010 … Carolyn and I once
again return to Best Friends for our annual Best Friend’s fix. Our first
assignment our first day was to walk dogs and imagine our shock, when we
discovered a dog that  looked suspiciously like, Michael, one of the
pointers from Lebanon and in the next dog run another black and white Pointer
who looked suspiciously like, Mika. After inquiring with the care giver as to
the dogs’ identities we were dismayed to learn that the two Pointers were
indeed our Pointer friends from Lebanon. We confirmed that they had indeed been
adopted together 4 years ago and they had been recently returned due to a
family break-up. When Carolyn and I saw them we just knew that we had to do
something. We met with Kristi Littrell, Best Friends Adoption Coordinator with
whom we had worked before and offered to tell Mika and Michael’s story at home
in Canada in the hopes of connecting with someone who can give these dogs yet
another chance.

We are not asking you to take them, but what we
do hope is that you can help us to help them by telling their story and perhaps
help us connect with folks who may be interested in giving these dogs a happy
ending. We know there are many deserving dogs here at home, but sometimes
borders truly don’t matter. We both work locally with various rescue groups as
well.    

The dogs are currently doing well and are being
housed separately at the sanctuary as it may be easier to place them
individually. They were not returned for behavioural problems as far as we
know. We are currently awaiting the results of their intake reassessments. Best
Friends would have the final say in any adoption applications and both Carolyn
and I would assist in processing potential adoption applications and home
checks.