Ratchet the dog has finally been reunited with his adoptive pet parent, Army Sgt. Gwen Beberg.
Last October Beberg changed military bases and was not allowed to take Ratchet, an Iraqi puppy she adopted, with her. The military prohibits the adoption of pets and caring for any animal. Luckily, Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals International stepped in and helped Beberg. Operation Baghdad Pups is the SPCA International program that brought Ratchet to the U.S. Ratchet flew to Minnesota to meet Beberg’s parents on Oct. 20, 2008. Beberg returned to the United States last fall, but was stationed in Kentucky until Jan. 17, when she returned to her Minnesota home.
Beberg and Ratchet are looking forward to a future together. Beberg plans on attending Northwestern Health Sciences University to study massage therapy. Ratchet will start doggie-obidence classes and train to become an animal therapist.
For more information on Operation Baghdad Pups, visit BaghdadPups.com.
—Amanda Degard
For whatever reason a person has to leave home, you should worry about your pets. Abandon them is a crime. Never do anything like that.