Soldier returns from Afghanistan to learn his beloved dog is gone

[alp227]

A purebred yellow Labrador retriever, Oakley likes to run, swim and get into most everything -- "whether it's trouble or not," his owner 1st Lt. Brandon Harker affectionately says.

And as much as anything, Oakley enjoys cuddling wherever, with whomever. That's just what Harker wanted to do with him this month, when he got back from a 9-month deployment to Afghanistan.

Except Oakley was gone. The friend with whom Harker had left Oakley said he'd gotten rid of the dog.

"I'd just like to get him back, safe and sound," Harker said Friday night. "That's about it."

About a year after joining the Army, Harker got the playful lab over Memorial Day weekend in 2011, while he was at Fort Benning in western Georgia.

full: http://www.cnn.com/2013/07/27/us/washington-soldier-dog/index.html



1st Lt. Brandon Harker says he returned from deployment in Afghanistan to find the friend he'd left his dog, Oakley, with had given away the dog.

[BlueJazz]

1. The friend with whom Harker had left Oakley said he'd gotten rid of the dog.

Friend ???...That SOB would be on my shit list and I might have a "Flashback" around his ass...

[hrmjustin]

2. Heartbreaking!

[napkinz]

12. makes me sad ... and angry

Some "friend"

[hrmjustin]

13. I got 5 cats and they are my babies. He would not be my friend until he got my dog back.

And then I would keep the friend away from my pet.

[gulliver]

3. He got the dog after joining the Army?

What?

[Politicalboi]

9. Some people just don't think

I don't think his "friend" should have given the dog away, but if it was to a loving family, why not. Being in the Army you have no time for a cat or a dog. It wasn't fair to the dog to have to wait, and get shipped from one house to another possibly. More than likely, that dog wouldn't even know his real owner. IMO this guy is selfish. Find a girlfriend and see if she will wait for you, not a unknowing dog.

[Pelican]

17. I've heard the same argument made about single moms in the Army...

[DirkGently]

4. That. Was no "friend." Jesus. n/t

[WovenGems]

5. Been there

My best friend ever, Mom's dog, died while I was in the army. That was the only dog ever who called me stupid. Not once but twice. First time I said "No fair, I can't smell who dead and who's alive. If I could I would be a rescue worker." Second time was when she told me to be quiet as if I hadn't figured that out for myself.

If you are the Rotties God figure you won't get told boo about being wrong but if your the dogs best friend anything goes.

[hollysmom]

8. except yours was involuntary

this is someone who gave away the dog and didn't even tell him.

[bluedigger]

6. Just stab me in the back, why don't you?

[Bay Boy]

14. exactly n/t

[reformist2]

7. That 'friend' would have been a good candidate for Olbermann's 'worst person in the world'

[99Forever]

10. Hard to imagine ...

... what sort of inhuman POS could do such a thing.

Here's hoping 1st Lt. Brandon Harker can find his pup AND lose that creep who pretended to be his friend.

[jtuck004]

11. Kick - And because less evolved people are flagging his Craigslist post,

here is a Facebook site:

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Help-Find-Oakley/283805531761221

[Tx4obama]

15. Kick n/t

[B Calm]

16. Did he ask his (ex) friend who he gave the dog to?