Many stories of soldiers found stray dogs from the terrifying war zones as great companion
It is not hard to find inspiring stories online about soldiers rescuing, bonding and eventually adopting animals, mostly cat and dog.
One story in particular that sticks out was about British paratrooper in Afghanistan.
He adopted a stray dog that he had befriended and named her Pegasus. Everyone called her Peg. Lewis would write home talking about his new friend describing her as a member of his military family,
“I have taught her to sit and give me her paw…. She patrols with us, she is not afraid of the Taliban or their bullets.”
Lewis went home for Christmas leave in 2010. He told his father, Tony, that Peg was so important to him that he wanted to bring her home when he returned from his deployment.
“That’s your job, Dad,” he said. Two months later, in February 2011, Pvt. Lewis was dead at 22, shot by a sniper.
Tony Lewis and his wife, Sandi, knew they needed to honor their son’s wish to bring the dog home.
A friend put them in touch with Pen Farthing, a former British Royal Marine whose charity, Nowzad Dogs Animal Shelter helps reunite adopted pets with soldiers and contractors after they leave Afghanistan.
The parents, the charity, and Conrad’s fellow paratroopers all worked together to get Peg home. Peg was slipped aboard a military helicopter, then disguised as a military working dog.
Afghan army soldiers were paid to deliver her to Kabul.
She was taken care of there and then delivered. “Having her here means so much to us,” Tony Lewis said on Thanksgiving Day.
” She is a link to Conrad’s time in Afghanistan, a symbol of his sacrifice. She is something he loved, and we love her too…. She has his spirit.”
As Conrad’s mother Sandy put it:
“Although I can’t look after my son any more, at least I can look after his dog.”
Learn more from telegraphy.co.uk about Paratrooper Conrad Lewis and the mongrel dog he adopted on patrol in Afghanistan..
Paratrooper Conrad Lewis and the mongrel dog he adopted on patrol
See Also: Meet WACHA the rescue dog who “saved” Andy Cohen’s life
I think that is such a beautiful story. And to follow that, here are some beautiful pictures of soldiers and the friends they made while on active duty.
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