Think left and think right and think low and think high. Oh, the thinks you can think if you only try !

- Dr. Seuss

Wednesday, December 28, 2011

Khandi from Kandahar

Becoming a foster mom to a puppy I never met. To some people this may not seem like fun, but for me it is an incredible journey that I wouldn't trade for anything.  A sweet little girl named Khandi entered our lives last Thursday night.  She was within hours of being put down due to military orders in Afghanistan.  Somehow a chain of dog lovers, many whom I don't even know and will never meet, took her and four other dogs through a series of dangerous maneuvers through Afghanistan and Pakistan, bringing them to safety. Then, she was boarded onto a plane in Islamabad.  Someone lovingly placed towels and cushioning in her crate and sent her across the world. Whose hands were those?

Waiting for her to arrive at the airport cargo area was exciting; like waiting to unwrap a present.  When they transported the two crates to us, we eagerly welcomed her and her travel buddy Jake. We had no idea what this would be like and how she would act.  I wish she could tell me what she has been through on her journey.  I know she was scared and hungry.  She seemed to like people and craved attention.  She rode on my lap on the drive home, all curled up in a ball.  When we arrived home, she was aggressive and nippy towards the other dogs. She barked at anything that looked scary to her.  I can only imagine what she had to compete with over there just in order to survive.  She is one scrappy little gal.

It didn't take long and she is becoming attached to us and our way of life.  It is surreal to think about what she has seen in her short four and a half months of life and that she is now lying on a bed in Colorado, safe and loved.  She has certainly won the dog lottery; she is one of the lucky ones who have made it out of war-torn Afghanistan.

I know I will need to give her to her soldier when the time comes, but for now I am just loving her like she's my own.

Welcome to the U.S. Ms. Khandi !  

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