Operation Baghdad Pups: Worldwide has been rescuing dogs and cats befriended by U.S. military members serving overseas since 2008. We have navigated some incredibly difficult situations in unstable regions.
We’ve had to find alternate routes out of countries at war and move animals through dangerous checkpoints. However, we’ve never before been confronted with something like the current COVID-19 crisis.
As borders close and international flights are canceled, our team is bringing dogs and cats to the U.S. as quickly as possible. Unfortunately, we know some will be stuck for weeks or months while we wait for travel to resume.
These animals are caught in limbo. As they waited for routine travel clearances, the situation changed drastically. Now, we don’t know when they’ll be able to travel.
Currently, 19 cats and 11 dogs are on our waiting list to travel to the U.S. Caring for them during this crisis is already proving challenging.
Nearly every location where we are caring for dogs and cats is experiencing difficulties. Here are just a few examples:
- In Iraq, our staff had to secure a special permit for a veterinarian to travel across the city to provide vaccines to the dogs in our care.
- In Poland, a carefully orchestrated rescue flight was canceled just two days before it was set to depart.
- In Jordan, two cats are stuck in a boarding facility where a staff member is now living on site to care for them during the shutdown.
- In The Philippines, several dogs and cats have been stuck since early February.
We’ll continue to provide these animals love and care while their soldiers anxiously wait for travel to resume.
Here are a few of the sweethearts whose travel plans have been put on standby:
Artie, located in Iraq Milo, located in Kuwait Hank, located in The Philippines Ruby, located in Poland Precious, located in Iraq
If you’d like to help us continue to provide vital support to shelters and animals around the world in this most challenging time: