U.S. Army Specialist Landon Gnade of Atlanta, Georgia, was recently on a nine-month deployment in Kosovo. He found a dog named Lepo at his camp where locals would frequently leave stray animals. Even though he wasn’t looking to make a connection, the soldier bonded with the pup. A lot of those animals die without special attention that the U.S. Military members aren't capable of providing for them. But Landon and Lepo became pals. I was shocked how this dog just came right to me and decided he was never leaving my side. He had some medical issues that I paid to have fixed and over the next few months we became best friends!
When Landon’s deployment ended in October his heart was broken as he had to leave Lepo behind.
Paws of War, is a nonprofit organization that’s been reuniting military members with animals for over a decade. A fellow soldier contacted them about Landon and Lepo's bond. Paws of War went to work getting a passport for the Lepo and making sure he could safely join Gnade at home, and funding his transportation to America. . "The trauma of a soldier having to leave an animal behind — they make so many sacrifices as it is, we don't ever want them to have to make that sacrifice," says Gary Baumann from Paws of War.
Landon is grateful to have Lepo back, explaining how the puppy’s companionship has helped him readjust to life stateside. “It’s comforting. It’s awesome, because I’m not going through it alone,” he says, “He’s right there beside me.”