Dog rescued in Afghanistan may get new home in the States

Family hopes to bring dog home from Afghanistan

Kimberly Kuizon reports

Sydney Eicher of Palmetto waits with her newborn son to hear any news from her husband, Joe who is serving in the Army. Lately, their conversation is about a dog named Ragnar.

"They were on a mission and they went to this house and dog was in really bad shape," Eicher said.

She says her husband’s unit found Ragnar tied up in a compound while on a mission in a remote area of Afghanistan.

One soldier, Sergeant First Class Josh Lott, traded rations for the dog.

"He had a lot of fleas and stuff,” Eicher explained. “He was really malnourished. They had to do a lot to get him back to health. They didn’t think he was going to make it.”

They took Ragnar back to their remote outpost, where soldiers worked together to nurse him back to health.

"He's become a friend,” she said. “A little supporter. They all look up to him when the day is over...Out there it’s hard and they have this tiny friend running around keeping them company and giving them light in the day.”

Soon, Sergeant Lott will head home. He hopes to bring Ragnar with him, but it’ll cost $6,000. The soldiers are trying to raise the money, which has been a challenge.

"They need $4,000 more. We are hoping to get that money raised in time to get him home," she said.

Helping Ragnar get to his new home with his fellow brother.