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A German shepherd/border collie mix named Nubs arrived in California in March after people raised $3,500 for the dog’s trip out of Iraq, according to The San Diego Union-Tribune. Brian Dennis was reunited with the mutt in San Diego after they both spent months in an Iraqi war zone.

I have read a couple stories this year about soldiers who befriended stray dogs while deployed, despite the military’s rules forbidding soldiers to keep pets in Iraq. With the help of friends and family, the soldiers are sometimes able to arrange for the dogs to fly to the United States. Imagine the bond created between an American soldier and a homeless dog in Iraq. Later, reuniting with their Iraqi dogs in the United States helps the soldiers adjust to life in ways nothing else can.

Sgt. Edward Watson cared for a dog while he was in Baghdad. He started a blog there, hoping to find the support he needed to fly the stray he named Charlie to the United States. His blog, Operation Bring Charlie Home, tells of the struggles he went through and what it was like to finally be reunited with his dog.

When he saw Charlie in the United States for the first time, Watson wrote, “After a couple seconds of him taking it all in, he went crazy! Once I got in through the gate and was able to be next to him, he was SO excited. I had never seen him this excited ever before. He was flying through the air over and over again, to jump on me and lick my furiously.”

Most animal lovers will say stories like these are heartwarming. I couldn’t agree more.

As for Nubs, Charlie and their owners, they all got a happy ending.

What do you think about bringing stray Iraqi dogs to the United States?

(Photo by Scott Linnett, The San Diego Union-Tribune)

Some people and organizations are against breeding dogs. Breeders are often criticized for contributing to the pet population problem. I’m curious about whether or not these same people ever consider the human population problem. Why is it unreasonable to buy a puppy from a breeder or pet shop, yet it’s reasonable to want to have our own babies?

I have done my fair share of criticizing breeders, too. How could anyone buy from a pet shop or breeder when there are so many homeless animals? But, I hear about homeless animals a lot more than I hear about homeless children. Just as an example, there are 11 million children in sub-Saharan Africa alone who have been orphaned by the AIDS epidemic, according to the WomenAid Children of the World Initiative. It is easy to forget about these children. I know I have done more to help homeless animals in my area than I have done to help any child.

The bottom line is, there are millions of homeless, orphaned children in the world, yet we still want our own babies. There are also millions of homeless dogs in shelters and in the streets, yet we still buy puppies from breeders.

The global problem of homeless children is a difficult issue to address, and that’s why it is too often avoided. There is no simple solution, but next time you question a breeder’s motives, think about what you are really arguing. It’s more important to love children and dogs for the individuals they are, not for where they come from.