FORWARD OPERATING BASE WILSON, Afghanistan - Abandoned in the village of Sangisar after a fierce firefight a month ago, two tiny puppies have found a safe haven with Canadian troops at this remote base in the volatile Zhari district.
Dubbed Mira - short for Miracle - after barely missing a landmine while riding with her rescuers in an armoured Nyala vehicle near the town of Howz-e-Madad, the spunky white she-pup is breathing new life into the Operational Mentoring Liaison Team's compound at Forward Operating Base Wilson.
"Everyone says I look after her but it's not just me. It's the whole team. Everyone gives her food and pets her. She sleeps with us. It's good for morale," Cpl. Marc-Andre Fournier said of the new addition to the team.
"It's super fun. It brings life... We don't think of the frustrations out there with the war. It's a bit like a release."
At the opposite end of the base where members of the Canadian battle group have set up shop, another tiny pup named Goulash has found a home with a group of infantrymen from Company B.
Named for the least favoured meal rations that generally become the puppy's dinner, Goulash was discovered by an Afghan National Army soldier in Sangisar.
A Canadian soldier had hoped to take the tiny puppy with him to Ma'sum Ghar, about 40 kilometres west of Kandahar City, where two Canadian soldiers and an Afghan interpreter had been killed after their light armoured vehicle hit an improvised explosive device.
Unable to do so, he turned the pup over to Cpls. Martin Lavigne and Mathieu Charest at FOB Wilson who keep him in a large cage outside their tent during the day and in their beds at night.
"When we got him he was much smaller than this," said Lavigne as he kissed the pup on the snout, assuring the animal had been thoroughly washed despite his scruffy appearance.
"He was tiny, premature. He wasn't in good shape," Charest added.
Charest, who often takes the pup out on operations in his light armoured vehicle - some of which may last as long as 14 hours - said Goulash always stays in his box and is quite well behaved.
"He's calm," said Lavigne, noting the harsh sounds of a war zone aren't likely to frighten the little beast.
"Afghan dogs are not like dogs back home that have had a good upbringing."
Both Mira and Goulash's caretakers are hopeful the soldiers that will replace them when their rotation ends in February will continue caring for the animals. If not, they will likely try to find a good family to adopt them as bringing them back to Canada isn't terribly practical or cost effective.
Not uncommon at a number of forward operating bases and police sub-stations, pet dogs, cats and even rabbits are helping make Canadian troops feel more at home.
Dubbed Mira - short for Miracle - after barely missing a landmine while riding with her rescuers in an armoured Nyala vehicle near the town of Howz-e-Madad, the spunky white she-pup is breathing new life into the Operational Mentoring Liaison Team's compound at Forward Operating Base Wilson.
"Everyone says I look after her but it's not just me. It's the whole team. Everyone gives her food and pets her. She sleeps with us. It's good for morale," Cpl. Marc-Andre Fournier said of the new addition to the team.
"It's super fun. It brings life... We don't think of the frustrations out there with the war. It's a bit like a release."
At the opposite end of the base where members of the Canadian battle group have set up shop, another tiny pup named Goulash has found a home with a group of infantrymen from Company B.
Named for the least favoured meal rations that generally become the puppy's dinner, Goulash was discovered by an Afghan National Army soldier in Sangisar.
A Canadian soldier had hoped to take the tiny puppy with him to Ma'sum Ghar, about 40 kilometres west of Kandahar City, where two Canadian soldiers and an Afghan interpreter had been killed after their light armoured vehicle hit an improvised explosive device.
Unable to do so, he turned the pup over to Cpls. Martin Lavigne and Mathieu Charest at FOB Wilson who keep him in a large cage outside their tent during the day and in their beds at night.
"When we got him he was much smaller than this," said Lavigne as he kissed the pup on the snout, assuring the animal had been thoroughly washed despite his scruffy appearance.
"He was tiny, premature. He wasn't in good shape," Charest added.
Charest, who often takes the pup out on operations in his light armoured vehicle - some of which may last as long as 14 hours - said Goulash always stays in his box and is quite well behaved.
"He's calm," said Lavigne, noting the harsh sounds of a war zone aren't likely to frighten the little beast.
"Afghan dogs are not like dogs back home that have had a good upbringing."
Both Mira and Goulash's caretakers are hopeful the soldiers that will replace them when their rotation ends in February will continue caring for the animals. If not, they will likely try to find a good family to adopt them as bringing them back to Canada isn't terribly practical or cost effective.
Not uncommon at a number of forward operating bases and police sub-stations, pet dogs, cats and even rabbits are helping make Canadian troops feel more at home.
