Sgt. Rex is finally coming home, declared Senator Chuck Schumer this morning after Rex has been cleared for adoption and reunion with a former Marine Cpl. Megan Leavey.
Rex, a 10 year old German shepherd who served in Iraq as a bomb sniffing dog, has retired from active duty "because a facial paralysis he had developed would interfere with his bomb-sniffing abilities," reported Luis Martinez for ABC News.
Cpl. Leavey developed a bond with Rex while working together during two deployments. As the two patrolled a road in 2006, an IED was detonated injuring both, resulting in Cpl. Leavey's retirement. Leavey attempted to adopt Rex at that time, however he recovered and was cleared to work as military dog. Now, five years later, as Rex was to retire for good, Leavey renewed her adoption efforts and recruited extra help in the form of Sen. Schumer and veterans groups in New York, reported Martinez.
According to ABC News, more than 300 military dogs are adopted each year after their retirement, given that they pass screening procedures and are deemed not to have aggressive tendencies. Less than 10 such dogs are euthanized each year for aggressive behavior.
Sen. Schumer helped collect 20,000 signature to expedite Rex's screening ensuring that he was reunited with Cpl. Leavey in a timely manner.
It was not just veterans and politicians that became fans of Rex. Cpl. Leavey also thanked "Randy and Mindy Levine of the NY Yankees for their generosity in providing transportation and medical coverage for Rex for the remainder of his life."
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