Nubs: The True Story of a Mutt, a Marine, & a Miracle

Written by Major Brian Dennis, Kirby Larson, & Mary Nethery

One day during an expedition with his Marine troop, Major Brian Dennis stumbled upon a stray dog. The dog was extremely cautious around the men. Major Dennis called him Nubs because his ears had been cut very short (in an effort to make him a good dog of war.) Although Nubs belonged to no one, he quickly warmed up to Major Dennis and started following him to all of his duties. When the troops moved to other locations, Nubs followed. In fact, he even followed the men to their headquarters 70 miles away! Even though it was against the rules for Marines to have pets, the men had no choice but to keep Nubs around since he was determined to follow them everywhere. One day, soldiers from another unit reported Major Dennis for having a dog. He promptly received orders to get rid of Nubs. That night, he talked with his teammates and they decided to figure out a way for Nubs to be sent to America. Major Dennis didn't want Nubs to suffer anymore in Iraq so he began emailing friends and family to help him find a way to get Nubs to the United States.

Why do you think the other soldiers reported Major Dennis for having a dog? Do you think it should be against the rules for soldiers to have pets?