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Oct 15, 2008 1:33 pm US/Central
Iraq Puppy Left Behind By Rescue Group
WASHINGTON (AP) ―
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In May, Spc. Gwen Beberg of Minneapolis adopted a puppy that she and another soldier rescued from a burning pile of trash, and named it Ratchet.
CBS
A rescue group left Baghdad without a puppy adopted by a Minnesota soldier, and blamed the U.S. military for not clearing the animal in time for the flight out Wednesday.
The military responded that it did not hold "Ratchet" the dog or order it to stay put at the U.S. military base.
The Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals International says the military finally agreed to clear Ratchet to leave the country. But that clearance came only 30 minutes before the flight out -- too late for the dog to make it.
The next rescue operation could come as soon as Sunday.
Army Spc. Gwen Beberg, 28, of Minneapolis, who adopted Ratchet, plans to return to the U.S. next month. More than 45,000 people have signed an online petition urging the Army to let the puppy come to the U.S.
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