Even in the worn-out and war-torn nation of Iraq, a stray dog waited for someone to adore him. Although he had been wounded, had had his ears removed, and was without a name, he still held out hope that someone would come to his rescue.
The dog’s owner showed up one day with three Humvees that sputtered to a stop in the desert. Major Brian Dennis, a Marine, saw the dog and went over to him. He quickly gained the dog’s trust and began feeding the young puppy, whom he named Nubs, from his bowl of food.
He immediately sort of sprung up, and I started playing with him as soon as I met him, Dennis recounted. In spite of the terrible weather, Nubs drove 75 miles in his Humvee over the desert to stay with Major Dennis.
“You won’t believe who’s outside,” one of my Marines yelled as he sprinted inside. I assumed he was referring to an individual. Nubs is outdoors, he says.
The Marines built Nubs a dog house and kept him safe inside, despite the prohibition on pets. Everything was going smoothly until a chain of command complaint led to Major Dennis receiving the order to remove nubs.
They started fund-raising and making connections with people who could assist.
Nubs flew to his new forever home in March 2008. After a month, Dennis tagged along. Although Nubs is no longer with us, his incredible tale of the necessity of preserving these dogs’ lives inspired the author to write a book titled Nubs, the True Story of a Mutt, a Marine, and a Miracle.