U.S. Soldier ‘Desperately’ Trying to Bring Home Puppy Rescued from Mistreatment in Afghanistan

U.S. Soldier Timothy Boyd will head back home to Dallas, Georgia soon — and he hopes he’ll be able to bring home a puppy he rescued during his tour in Afghanistan.

While stationed overseas, Boyd, who serves with the Task Force Viking 1SG — an infantry unit assisting Special Forces in the fight against ISIS-K — and his fellow soldiers witnessed the puppy, who they’ve named Misha, being dragged with a rope tied around her neck.

The soldiers proceeded to rescue the dog, bring her back to their camp and make sure she received all the medical treatment she needed.

Now, Misha has become like a member of their family — and Boyd wants to bring her home with him to make sure she doesn’t fall into the wrong hands again, and possibly face death.

“I am desperately trying to bring this loving fur baby back to my home in Georgia, where she will live a quiet life away from this war-torn country,” Boyd said in a press release obtained by PEOPLE.

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However, before Boyd can bring Misha to Georgia, he’ll need to raise more than $6,000 to cover all of the expenses that come with transporting a dog from Afghanistan to the United States.

In order to help Boyd reach his goal, Paws of War — a non-profit organization that provides assistance to military members and their pets — has enlisted the assistance of Nowzad Dogs, a charity that helps rescue animals in Afghanistan.

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Together, the organizations have launched the Mission Misha campaign, and are currently seeking donations to help Boyd ensure the puppy’s safety.

“I appreciate any and all assistance that people can provide in helping to make Mission Misha a successful operation. She needs to come home with me. I can’t imagine it any other way,” Boyd says in the press release.

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Opening up about the importance of making sure Boyd can bring Misha to the U.S., Robert Misseri, co-founder of Paws of War, explained that war-torn Afghanistan is no place for a dog.

“We can’t stand by and let this dog fall back into the hands of cruel people. There has been a fantastic and lasting bond created between Misha and Timothy,” he shared in the press release. “We understand his concerns in having to leave her in a place that is very hostile toward dogs, so we are doing everything we can to help make his wish come true and bring the dog to the United States.”