National Guard soldier welcomes home German shepherd rescued during deployment
Staff Sgt. Andrea Taulton tells Fox News Digital about the "magical moment" when her dog, Axel, finally made it home to her in West Virginia after she helped save his life.
A soldier’s prayers for his best buddy to join him here at home apparently have been heard.
A stray dog found overseas by U.S. Army First Lt. Tad (full name withheld upon request) has been successfully rescued and brought to safety here in the U.S.
New York nonprofit Paws of War answered the soldier’s call earlier this month to retrieve the starving and abandoned pup named Gus.
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At the start of his deployment, Tad first found Gus, who is about two years old, searching for food near the overseas Army base.
The pair immediately connected — and became inseparable after several months of bonding, Paws of War told Fox News Digital.
U.S. Army First Lt. Tad found Gus, a stray dog, searching for food near his deployment base overseas. (Paws of War)
However, Tad was assigned a deployment requiring him to relocate — so he’d soon have to leave behind his furry best friend.
"I sat with Gus before I left the old base and my heart just sank," Tad wrote in a statement shared with Fox News Digital.
"I prayed hard that he would be OK, but walking away for the last time haunted me."
"I could tell he knew something was different, but he had no idea he was about to be alone again in a place [where] so many animals perish without someone to care for them."
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Leaving Gus behind involved "more guilt than I could take," Tad said in his statement.
"He had helped me through deployment and [had] given me something to look forward to each day, and now I was about to betray him," he said.
Lt. Tad and Gus became inseparable after spending several months together. (Paws of War)
"I prayed hard that he would be OK, but walking away for the last time haunted me," he continued.
The heart-wrenching goodbye on Jan. 2 of this year led Tad to reach out to New York-based Paws of War for help.
The organization was quick to tackle the complicated task of rescuing Gus from "dangerous" territory (exact location withheld upon request).
When Paws of War’s overseas rescuers finally tracked Gus down, he was found alone on the base, still watching out in the distance "expecting his soldier to return," the group noted.
"I can't wait to see him again."
Gus was recently delivered to Tad’s family in Indianapolis, Indiana — where the dog will soon be reunited with his soldier and friend at the end of Tad's deployment this summer.
Paws of War located Gus near Tad's earlier Army base. It seemed the lonely dog was watching and waiting for his soldier to show up. (Paws of War)
"The relief of knowing Gus is safe is indescribable," Tad said.
"I truly didn't think it would happen and that was so hard to deal with."
He added, "Now I can't wait to see him again knowing he'll never have to be alone another day in his life. I'm grateful beyond words."
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Paws of War’s "War-Torn Pups and Cats" program focuses on bringing animals rescued by soldiers overseas to the U.S. to be reunited with the men and women who saved them.
"We couldn't be more thrilled for Gus and Lieutenant Tad, and we thank everyone who makes what we do possible."
"This is a perfect example of why our work is so important," Robert Misseri, co-founder of Paws of War, said in a statement provided to Fox News Digital.
Lt. Tad and Gus, his newfound friend, share a tender moment at the base. (Paws of War)
"It's an amazing feeling every time to get another [pet to safety]," he added.
"We couldn't be more thrilled for Gus and Lieutenant Tad, and we thank everyone who makes what we do possible."
Misseri explained that what motivates the organization is witnessing the heartbreak felt by U.S. service members who are forced to leave behind animals they see "as family members" — and then being able to reunite them eventually.
"Our rescue missions for our soldiers and the animals they love are funded by the kindness of compassionate members of the public who believe in our work and want to help give back to our heroes," he said.
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Paws of War, a 501c3 nonprofit, has more than 80 active cases in progress right now.
For more information on future missions and how to help, visit pawsofwar.org.
