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Thanks to your support, the legal obstacles were cleared
expeditiously, allowing U.S. Air Force Tech. Sgt. Jamie Dana
to adopt Rex, her military working dog partner.
As you may know, Sgt. Dana and Rex were working together in
Iraq, searching for hidden explosives. In June, a bomb
detonated under the vehicle in which she and Rex were riding,
and Sgt. Dana was critically injured. Rex, who had suffered
only a minor burn on his nose, was brought to the hospital to
provide moral support. As Sgt. Dana recovered with Rex by her
side, the bond between the wounded soldier and her loyal
partner grew even stronger. As a result, she sought to adopt
him; however, military rules prohibited the adoption of military
dogs before the end of their useful working lives.
But thanks to the outpouring of public support, Congress
addressed this issue and passed a bill allowing the adoption of
military dogs under exceptional circumstances. President Bush
then signed the bill into law, eliminating the legal obstacles that
prevented Rex’s adoption. And we are pleased to report that
the Air Force moved quickly. On January 13, at a special
adoption ceremony at Peterson Air Force Base in Colorado, Sgt. Dana’s squadron commander, Maj.
Paul Cairney, officially handed over Rex’s leash to Sgt. Dana.
At the ceremony, American Humane CEO and President Marie Belew Wheatley said, “We extend
our grateful appreciation on behalf of our more than 29,000 members who appealed to lawmakers on
both sides of the aisle to support the act of Congress that made this adoption possible. We at
American Humane know there is a powerful bond between people and animals that has already
played a role in Sgt. Dana’s recovery and now can continue to do so. We extend our grateful
appreciation and thank the Air Force, which believes, as we do, that allowing Sgt. Dana to adopt
Rex was the right thing to do.”
Sgt. Dana, recalling her thoughts when she first saw Rex during her recovery, said, “My best friend
is okay. We lived, and we’re gonna be okay.” Sgt. Dana continues to recuperate, as she and her
husband, Mike, welcome Rex into their “family” of three cats, two dogs, and four horses.
The American Humane Association deeply appreciates your help and support. Your voice has made
a difference in convincing members of Congress and the President to do the right thing. Please stay
tuned for more updates on this and similar matters.
To learn more about American Humane’s efforts relating to the special bond
between humans and animals, and how we’re helping to protect animals from
cruelty, abuse, neglect, and exploitation, visit http://www.americanhumane.org/.