True love knows no distance, especially when that bond is between a human and a dog. Oregon Army National Guard Sgt. Erin Guthrie met the love of her life while deployed in Kosovo: a stray dog named Meeka.
Despite being timid, Meeka quickly found comfort with Guthrie. The two were inseparable during their time together, but it couldn’t last forever. Guthrie had to return to New York without her new friend by her side. Not a moment went by where Guthrie didn’t think of Meeka.
An Unbreakable Bond
Guthrie was heartbroken when she returned to America 8 months later without a dog by her side. She never expected to fall in love during her time away, but her meeting with Meeka was life-changing.
“I was nervous because it was a stray dog approaching me, but I could just tell by the way that he was coming toward me, his mannerisms, he just wanted a friend and he didn’t have a pack,” Guthrie recalled. “He didn’t have anyone he was with. I was honored that he would come up to me and I just felt an instant connection with him.”
Guthrie considered adopting a dog during the pandemic after she returned home. But as she looked at the dogs in her area, something didn’t feel right. She knew that Meeka was the only dog she wanted. After all, Meeka is short for miqësi, which means friendship in Albanian. Albanian is a primary language spoken in Kosovo, so Guthrie thought the name was perfect for her furry friend.
Meeka Comes Home!
Meeka had brought peace and happiness to a dark situation, and the more Guthrie thought about it, the more she realized she needed Meeka in her life. She eventually came across Paws of War, an organization that has a program to help soldiers reunite with their dogs. Of course, they were more than happy to help.
Paws of War’s “War Torn Pups” program raised over $6,000 to bring Meeka to the United States. Co-founder Robert Misseri explained that there are a lot of obstacles and paperwork involved, but they believe it’s worth it. With so many bad things going on in the world, they want an opportunity to do something good for a change.
Soon, Guthrie and Meeka were reunited. The shy pup was overjoyed to see his best friend again, and Guthrie was relieved that the pup remembered her.
“I was nervous that he wouldn’t recognize me but the fact that he pulls into me just the same way, and he recognizes me and he knows me, and that’s an amazing feeling,” said Guthrie.
Now, Guthrie and Meeka are finally together forever. Most people don’t expect to find true love while doing their job, but life works in mysterious ways. These two best friends are so lucky to have each other, and Meeka can finally get the life he deserves.
Today @PawsofWarUSA reunited a soldier with a dog she fell in love with overseas. The timid dog fell right into her arms. More coming up on @CBSNewYork! pic.twitter.com/RrsTh4RQte
— Jenna DeAngelis (@jennamdeangelis) October 7, 2020
H/T: local21news.com
Featured Image: Screenshot, local21news.com
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