Dogs

The Veteran and Dog Behind a Puppy Rescue Mission

Megan Troise

When Anna Chiasson’s fiancé brought a puppy home from Afghanistan, a journey began—for both Anna and the dog—and a bigger mission was born.

When Anna Chiasson got a call from her fiancé Chris, who had been deployed to Afghanistan, she was surprised to hear that he had taken in a puppy and wanted to get her home to the states. Little did Anna know what a journey that would be—for both her and the dog—but, in the end, a bigger mission was born. Read the full story about Puppy Rescue Mission and find more stories like this in All Creatures magazine.

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When a suicide bomber had entered Chris’s compound in the middle of the night, a stray dog named Target alerted the troops in their sleeping quarters. Target was badly injured, but she was also pregnant. When she gave birth to her litter the very next day, the soldiers started caring for the puppies. Bear, the puppy Chris bonded with, was one of them.

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It took a lot of brainstorming and, eventually, help from a Facebook community that brought Bear and the other puppies home to the states.

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Anna never gave up. She knew how important Bear was to Chris—and how important Chris was to her. Through donations, she was able to raise the $21,000 needed to bring all seven dogs home.

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Bear arrived in the U.S. in June 2010. She landed in Washington, D.C. and a truck driver brought her to Anna in Maine.

Chris and Bear playing together in their backyard.

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While Chris was still overseas, Anna took care of Bear just as he did. A few months later, Chris came home and was reunited with his furry friend.

Anna and Chris with Bear, Alpha and Griz.

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Anna and Chris established Puppy Rescue Mission as a nonprofit in 2010, got married in 2013 and welcomed a son, Wyatt, in 2018. They’ve helped bring home more than 3,000 dogs and cats from overseas. Bear, Alphy and Griz, all from Afghanistan, complete their family.

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