Shawnee Soldier Forms Bond with 2 Pups Overseas, Brings Them Home

When U.S. servicemen and women go to Iraq, leaving their families behind can often be the hardest part. But for one sailor from Shawnee leaving behind the friends he made in Iraq turned out to be even more difficult.

Monday, October 25th 2010, 11:59 am

By: News 9


Emily Wood, News 9

SHAWNEE, Oklahoma -- When U.S. servicemen and women go to Iraq, leaving their families behind can often be the hardest part. But for one sailor from Shawnee leaving behind the friends he made in Iraq turned out to be even more difficult.

John Carter has been serving in the Navy for the last eight years. He left behind his wife and young daughter to serve in mission after mission.

"Emma started kindergarten this year, and that was hard not being there when she started school," Carter said.

That used to be the hardest part, until he met Charlie and Bandit.

"They weren't feeding them, they were just left behind to fend for themselves," Carter said.

Carter found the brother pups barely surviving. And he and his company decided to unofficially adopt them, playing with the pups, teaching them tricks and becoming a sort of family.

"They were definitely there, ready to protect us and no doubt lay down their own lives if there was ever any threat to us," Carter said.

After six months of taking care of Charlie and Bandit, Carter's tour of duty was coming to an end. As much as he wanted to see his human family, he was afraid to leave the brother pups.

"So, I started Googling and found Operation Baghdad Pups," Carter said.

An Internet search landed Carter on the Operation Baghdad Pups website where he wrote hundreds of e-mails to get through all the security and logistics to bring the Iraqi-born pups home to Oklahoma.

"Whenever there's anything an Oklahoman needs, there's always 10 people that step up to help out," Carter said.

The easiest part of Carter's mission was raising the thousands of dollars needed to bring Charlie and Bandit home.

Saving Pets At Risk, a group in Shawnee, put the pups' picture online and solicited the community for support.

"I know he's excited to have them come home and be part of our family," Carter's wife, Bobbi Lyn, said.

Carter and his wife tell us they never imagined their small community could raise that amount of money so quickly.

"We formed, you could say, almost a brotherhood with these animals," said Carter. "…just wanted to repay them, basically, for a job well done."

The Carters are now looking forward to having Charlie and Bandit home in Oklahoma by Thanksgiving.

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