Operation Donkey brings Iraqi equine to US

Operation Donkey brings Iraqi equine to US
By JESSICA GRESKO, Associated Press
Saturday, May 14, 2011


(05-14) 16:27 PDT WASHINGTON, CA (AP) --

It took 37 days and a group of determined animal lovers, but a donkey from Iraq is now a U.S. resident.

Smoke The Donkey, who became a friend and mascot to a group of U.S. Marines living in Iraq's Anbar Province nearly three years ago, arrived in New York this week aboard a cargo jet from Turkey. After being quarantined for two days he was released Saturday and began a road trip to Omaha, Neb., where he is destined to become a therapy animal.

The chest-high donkey's story begins in the summer of 2008, when he wandered in to Camp Taqaddum west of Fallujah, a former Iraqi air base being used by Marines.

The smoke-colored donkey, which once snatched and ate a cigarette from a careless Marine, soon became such a part of the unit that he received his own care packages and cards. Marines took care of him until 2009 when they left the area, but they turned Smoke over to a sheik who promised to care for him.


Read more: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/n/a/2011/05/14/national/w152134D70.DTL#ixzz1MNB2xAXM


In this Sept. 11, 2008, photo provided by the Department of Defense and Retired Marine Col. John Folsom, Smoke the Donkey takes part in a Freedom Walk event at Camp Taqaddum, Iraq. It took 37 days and a group of determined animal lovers, but the donkey is now in the United States.
Photo: AP

:)

And a very fortunate little donkey. He's adorable. Thanks for posting this happy ending... :)

:loveya: :kick: