Posted on August 26, 2009 by: WayCoolDogs

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When a mixed breed dog was found by a native resident of  St. Petersburg, Florida,  Major Brian Dennis, the soldier was located in Anbar Province, Iraq—and the dog had been savagely abused with his ears purposely cut off. A relationship was immediately struck up by the Major and his new friend, upon whom Brian called “Nubbs”.

Major Brian Dennis wrote a letter back home to the U.S. to tell his mother about his new furry friend. He told her that Nubbs’s ears had been cut off to make him look more “tough” and “alert” while fighting, as the dog was a fighting dog.

The dog and the soldier remained friends for four months.  Letters were sent home to Brian’s mother about the dog, such as the time when the dog had been stabbed repeatedly with a screwdriver. Frustrated and distressed, the young soldier and Nubbs became quite close. During this time, the dog was nursed back to health by a loving and caring person,  someone whom the dog had never quite seen before. They even slept together, warming each other in the frigid Iraq temperatures.

One day, Major Brian Dennis was ordered to move his squadron 70 miles away, having to leave Nubbs behind according to orders. But two days later, Nubbs showed up at the new base camp much to the surprise of the Major—70 miles of traveling in two days for a four-legged animal in 18-degree temperature still recovering from old wounds.

With this happy reunion ringing in his ears, Major Brian Dennis also received other orders—-he had four days to get rid of the dog or Nubbs would be shot. Brian had a decision to make, and quickly. He wrote to his mom, “Nubbs was going to America, this dog had been through a lifetime of fighting war, abuse, and had tracked our team over 70 miles of harsh desert (and) was going to live the good life.”

Immediately, an email campaign was begun by the Major, and within two days, $3,000 dollars had been raised to send Nubbs home to the soldier’s mother. He was transported to the United States, where a family is caring for him until Major Brian Dennis returns home. Dennis’ mother said, “I almost feel like Brian is his guardian angel and maybe he is Brian’s guardian angel.”

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