When an army soldier got deployed in a foreign country, she found comfort in a stray dog she met. The two had the best time, but when it was time to go home, the dog had to stay behind.
A new friend
Sgt. Erin Guthrie was part of the Oregon Army National Guard. She and her team were deployed on a mission to Kosovo for eight months. Being part of a team meant that she traveled to different areas, but the adjustment wasn’t always easy.
After spending a week in Kosovo, she came across an adorable brown dog living in the streets. The stray was very timid at first, but he showed affection towards Erin.
Erin felt an attachment to the dog and named him Meeka, after the term miqësi, which meant friendship in Albanian. She brought Meeka to their home base and fed him food. The canine was so comfortable with Erin that she didn’t leave her side, and the two have been inseparable since.
Change of heart
After eight months have passed, Erin scheduled a flight back to New York. Erin saying goodbye to Meeka was a very emotional scene for everybody that witnessed how close the two were.
Once Erin got home, her mind couldn’t stop going back to her furry friend. She missed Meeka every day, and she worried if the dog was doing alright.
During the pandemic, Erin thought of adopting a dog to keep her company. Even though there were many local shelters in her area, she knew there was no one that could match up Meeka’s energy.
After thinking long and hard about it, Erin looked for help to reunite with Meeka. She looked around and discovered Paws of War, a rescue organization that had a program that reunited soldiers with dogs they meet during deployment.
Paws of War was happy to aide Erin in her journey. The organization’s “War Torn Pups” program raised over six thousand dollars to fund Meeka’s trip to the United States.
After piles of paperwork and sleepless nights, Erin and Meeka finally reunited. The once shy dog excitedly ran to his new forever mom, and the two engulfed in a big hug.
Erin was so glad that the canine remembered her after so long of being apart. Erin was so happy that she met Meeka at the right time and was glad to give her the life he deserves.
Photo Source: Local21news.com