Feb 23, 2008 9:15 pm US/Central
War-Torn Iraqi Dogs Find New 'Leash On Life'
Family Of U.S. Soldiers Adopt Pups
NEW YORK (CBS) ―
Two amazing dogs rescued from war-torn Iraq are finding a new 'leash' on life here in New York City. The dogs arrived at John F. Kennedy International Airport Saturday afternoon, CBS station WCBS-TV in New York reports.
'Liberty' and 'K-pot' arrived to the sounds of cheers, and it didn't take the pups long to paw their way into the arms of the family members of two U.S. soldiers who rescued them in Iraq.
"It was like love at first sight," said Danielle Berger. "He's an amazing puppy."
Amanda Lehneke, whose husband is serving in Iraq added, "it was like an instant connection. It was a realization why my brother loved her so much.
Lehneke's husband Daniel, an army lieutenant found 'Liberty' during a house raid in Baghdad.
"She was part of their family," Lehneke told WCBS. "They're brothers over there, she was accepted as one of them."
'K-pot' was rescued by Berger's brother, a medic in the army. The dog was embedded in razor wire. Berger's brother spent days nursing his wounds.
"A few days later they found that he had survived, and decided to take him in an take care of him," Berger said.
Two months ago, her brother's unit was ordered to relocate and leave the dogs behind. That's when the military asked SPCA International and a group called 'I Love Dogs' to help them get Liberty and K-pot out.
"If they can't take them, they have to put them back on the streets," said Terri Crisp, of SPCA International. "Because of their connection to Americans, certain people do cruel things to these animals."
Liberty and K-pot will stay with the families. SPCA International says there are 22 other dogs they want to get out, including a dog named 'Socks,' who is next on the list.
It cost SPCA International, a group that relies on donations more than $6,000 to bring the two dogs to the U.S. The group says it gets several requests a day to help rescue dogs that soldiers befriend in both Iraq and Afghanistan.
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