thedrifter
01-08-09, 06:38 AM
Saved Iraqi Dog Helps Protect Owner in San Diego
Reported by: Elex Michaelson
Last Update: 12:16 am
Lava has a fight to survive few people can match. The U.S. Marines found her in an oil barrel in Fallujah -- in the middle of a war zone.
Many of those who found her wanted to bring her back to Hawaii -- but the Marines said that was not possible. Instead, Marine Lt. Col. Jay Kopelman said he would bring him home to San Diego.
Lava's story was so compelling that Jay wrote a book about it. In From Baghdad, With Love: A Marine, the War, and a Dog Named Lava, Jay detailed Lava's struggle to survive.
"He was a sign of hope really and a symbol of home you can't get any other way. So it was important for me to rescue him, I hate to say this, to keep hope alive" said Kopelman.
He said without Marine intervention, Lava "would have undoubtedly perished in Iraq."
Last night, though, it was Lava who helped out Jay.
Lava was sleeping near the door because he was experiencing some intestinal problems. In the middle of the night he started growling, which woke up Jay.
"He started making a low growling noise, I guess he heard the van pull up" he said.
Jay ran outside, spotted the suspects a few blocks away, and called 9-1-1.
He stayed on the line with emergency dispatchers as he chased down the suspects. Eventually, police caught them.
This morning, the suspects were arrested. Joseph Anthony Verdugo (6/17/79) and Leonard Eric Williams (12/12/68) were booked into San Diego Central Jail.
Jay's wife--Pam Godde--said the suspects weren't able to steal much. They stole bags filled with towels and diapers.
"I can only imagine the look on their face when they opened up the bag and saw the diapers," she said.
Godde said it was unfortunate there wasn't any dirty diapers in the bag, "In retrospect, I wish I had planted one" she said.
Jay said Lava has actually helped him out before this night--when he helped introduce him to the love of his life. Jay was in a dog park when Lava went up to the dog of Jay's future wife.
"I think this is some sort of Karmic event that keeps replaying in different ways, that's Lava's payback" said Jay.
From Iraq with Love
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vLIzyAM5qrQ&eurl=http://www.sandiego6.com/news/local/story/Saved-Iraqi-Dog-Helps-Protect-Owner-in-San-Diego/XyP0bWEZkkWaDJXhHJxbFA.cspx?rssiurl=http://i3.ytimg.com/vi/vLIzyAM5qrQ/hqdefault.jpg
http://www.sandiego6.com/media/news/c/a/9/ca9a8f2d-b096-4ee1-96d8-b60101790600/Story.jpg
Ellie
Reported by: Elex Michaelson
Last Update: 12:16 am
Lava has a fight to survive few people can match. The U.S. Marines found her in an oil barrel in Fallujah -- in the middle of a war zone.
Many of those who found her wanted to bring her back to Hawaii -- but the Marines said that was not possible. Instead, Marine Lt. Col. Jay Kopelman said he would bring him home to San Diego.
Lava's story was so compelling that Jay wrote a book about it. In From Baghdad, With Love: A Marine, the War, and a Dog Named Lava, Jay detailed Lava's struggle to survive.
"He was a sign of hope really and a symbol of home you can't get any other way. So it was important for me to rescue him, I hate to say this, to keep hope alive" said Kopelman.
He said without Marine intervention, Lava "would have undoubtedly perished in Iraq."
Last night, though, it was Lava who helped out Jay.
Lava was sleeping near the door because he was experiencing some intestinal problems. In the middle of the night he started growling, which woke up Jay.
"He started making a low growling noise, I guess he heard the van pull up" he said.
Jay ran outside, spotted the suspects a few blocks away, and called 9-1-1.
He stayed on the line with emergency dispatchers as he chased down the suspects. Eventually, police caught them.
This morning, the suspects were arrested. Joseph Anthony Verdugo (6/17/79) and Leonard Eric Williams (12/12/68) were booked into San Diego Central Jail.
Jay's wife--Pam Godde--said the suspects weren't able to steal much. They stole bags filled with towels and diapers.
"I can only imagine the look on their face when they opened up the bag and saw the diapers," she said.
Godde said it was unfortunate there wasn't any dirty diapers in the bag, "In retrospect, I wish I had planted one" she said.
Jay said Lava has actually helped him out before this night--when he helped introduce him to the love of his life. Jay was in a dog park when Lava went up to the dog of Jay's future wife.
"I think this is some sort of Karmic event that keeps replaying in different ways, that's Lava's payback" said Jay.
From Iraq with Love
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vLIzyAM5qrQ&eurl=http://www.sandiego6.com/news/local/story/Saved-Iraqi-Dog-Helps-Protect-Owner-in-San-Diego/XyP0bWEZkkWaDJXhHJxbFA.cspx?rssiurl=http://i3.ytimg.com/vi/vLIzyAM5qrQ/hqdefault.jpg
http://www.sandiego6.com/media/news/c/a/9/ca9a8f2d-b096-4ee1-96d8-b60101790600/Story.jpg
Ellie