SAVING CINNAMON

Before Operation Baghdad Pups was developed in 2008 to rescue U.S. troops’ dogs and cats out of the war zone, a few U.S. service members managed to get their dogs and cats out of the Middle East on their own against incredible odds.

Operation Baghdad Pups program manager, Terri Crisp, helped rescue one of these dogs, Cinnamon, in June 2006 – over a year before SPCA International tapped Crisp to develop the full-fledged Operation Baghdad Pups program.

Cinnamon’s story is chronicled in a harrowing new book, “Saving Cinnamon: The Amazing True Story of a Missing Military Puppy and the Desperate Mission to Bring Her Home”. Crisp’s supporting role “saving Cinnamon” helped her gain a foundation of knowledge that later allowed SPCA International to develop Operation Baghdad Pups; a program that has now successfully rescued 149 dogs and 22 cats from the Middle East.

Set against the backdrop of the war in Afghanistan, “Saving Cinnamon” chronicles the devotion between U.S. Reservist Mark Feffer and a stray puppy he bonded with while stationed outside of Kandahar. Knowing it was against military rules to befriend a dog while serving, Mark initially tried to ignore the puppy but she was impossible to resist.

When Mark was about to return stateside, he decided to adopt Cinnamon in spite of the enormous obstacles that stood in his way. After several months of trying to get his new buddy out of Afghanistan, Mark finally managed to set up a transport for Cinnamon to the U.S. But the unthinkable happened and Cinnamon was abandoned in route by the military dog handler who was supposed to bring her home. Cinnamon disappeared without a trace 7,000 miles from home. Not willing to give up, Mark and his family launched a desperate search for the puppy which lasted 44 days and ended dramatically when Mark and Cinnamon were eventually reunited.

“Saving Cinnamon” is an inspiring story of love, loss, hope and triumph. The people who participated in Cinnamon’s journey are an international band of heroes who collaborated for a common cause. All the hard work transformed lives and demonstrated the powerful human animal bond.

SPCA International recommends “Saving Cinnamon” because the story gives further insight into why these animals that wander unexpectantly into the lives of those living in combat zones are so extraordinary and worth all the efforts to save them. Operation Baghdad Pups has experienced this 171 times with more successes to come, thanks in part to Cinnamon’s pioneering adventure.

To order your copy of “Saving Cinnamon”, click on our Amazon ad to the left of this post.