Rescued puppy helps Army Afghanistan veteran heal
Feb 6, 2016 19:40:29 GMT -5
Post by Berean on Feb 6, 2016 19:40:29 GMT -5
Rescued puppy helps Army Afghanistan veteran heal
Army veteran John Bear of Adrian; daughter, Liliana 3; and Bear's 6-month old rescue puppy, Athena; are pictured at home.Telegram photo by Mike Dickie lenconnect_com |
Army veteran John Bear of Adrian; daughter, Liliana 3; and Bear's 6-month old rescue puppy, Athena; are pictured at home. Bear found Athena through the Puppy Rescue Mission in Kabul, Afghanistan.
By Lonnie Huhman
Posted Feb. 1, 2016 at 2:00 PM
ADRIAN
Each time John Bear was deployed to Afghanistan he befriended a stray dog, which he said are all over that country, and in general are not treated well by locals. He wanted to bring back home each of the dogs but could never find a way.
That changed in the past six months with the arrival of Athena, a shepherd from Afghanistan that Bear adopted from the Puppy Rescue Mission in Kabul.
“They were some of the most loyal dogs I’ve ever seen,” said Bear, 28, of Adrian about the dogs in Afghanistan.
Bear, a decorated war veteran, grew up in Montana but moved to Adrian a year ago with his family. His wife, Leanne, is from Saline, so they now live much closer to her family and he’s able to make trips to the Ann Arbor Veterans Affairs Healthcare System.
Bear joined the U.S. Army in 2005 and was trained as an engineer. For eight years he was on active duty and is now in the National Guard. His combat experiences left a mark, both physically and mentally. Recently, he’s been healing from a bullet wound he suffered to his leg during a training exercise.
In dealing with his post-traumatic stress, Bear said he found refuge in his connections with animals. From his horses to dogs, he said they remain important.
“They’re a big help,” he said. “If I’m having a hard time, I can turn to the dogs or horses and they take my mind off things.”
He said the animals refocus his mind and are a positive outlet. Athena, still a puppy, is with him almost all of the time. She is being registered as a companion dog, which one of his other dogs is already.
Athena’s mother was found pregnant in a ditch. She was rescued and later bore a litter of puppies. Bear said he found Athena through the rescue organization, and after she was cleared for travel to the United States, she has been with him.
“There are a lot of soldiers who have done this through the Puppy Rescue Mission. They deserve a lot of credit for what they do,” he said.
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