In July 2010, the Guardians of Rescue, along with the Puppy Rescue Mission reunited Sgts. Duke and Young with their two dogs, Target and Rufus, who saved their lives and the lives of 50 other soldiers from a suicide bomber in Afghanistan. These heroic "dogs of war" came home to the United States, and were flown to Atlanta by Pet Airways, where they were reunited with their soldiers and got to meet the soldiers families who they were now going to be living with.
Target went to live with Sgt. Young and his family in Phoenix, AZ and settled into life in the US. Two weeks ago, in mid-November, Target ran out of the yard, was picked up by animal control and transferred to a local shelter. Before Sgt. Young could get to the shelter to retrieve Target, she was mistakenly put to sleep, after a tragic mix-up at the shelter identified the wrong dog to be euthanized.
Destiny awaiting her new life.
While it doesn't make up for what happened to Target or excuse the fact that there was gross negligence on the part of animal control the day Target was murdered. The dog whose life was saved by Target's tragic death has since been named "Destiny" and will become part of the Guardians of Rescue team, and the mascot for their campaign for "Target's Law," designed to help protect the rights of shelter pets.
Guardians of Rescue is a not for profit organization whose mission is to facilitate and foster programs and activities that further the uniquely symbiotic, therapeutic, and pragmatic benefits of interaction between people and animals. We are all about compassionate action, about People Helping Animals and Animals Helping People.