No Marine Left Behind…Even If They’re The 4-legged Kind!

When deployed Marine Captain Britta Vivaldi and Sergeants Josh Echevarria and Colin Bettner adopted a stray dog near their base, they fell in love with her. And when she gave birth to three puppies, they welcomed her pups into their hearts too. So, when it was time to return to the States, they had to find a way to bring the dogs along

Captain Britta Vivaldi was jogging outside her Philippines Marine base when a tan dog began following her. There were plenty of dogs running loose, but most of them were scraggly and wary of people. This dog looked healthier than others and was so friendly. She came up to Britta, tail wagging. Britta gave her some loving pets, then returned to base.

“She was so sweet!” Britta told Sergeants Josh Echevarria and Colin Bettner.

“That’s Cardi,” Josh told her.

“We were over at the airfield with some other Marines and found her locked in a crate,” Colin continued. “She was starving. We broke her out, and she followed us back to the base. We’ve been feeding her scraps.”

The pup continued to follow Britta on her runs, and one day, she noticed Cardi was putting on weight…and kept putting it on.

“She’s going to be a mom,” Britta proudly told the others.

The three ordered healthy dog food from Amazon and lovingly cared for Cardi throughout her pregnancy. When she delivered three pups, they built a small enclosure just outside the base gate where they would be safe. They named the girl puppy Cindy and the boys Hector and Ivar.

Every chance they got, Britta, Josh and Colin visited the furry family. But they were scheduled to redeploy home in February 2023—only months away!

What will happen to Cardi and her pups? they worried.

Mission of love

Regulations make it difficult for service members to bring home animals they adopt while overseas. And the cost of travel and quarantine can run between $5,000 and $10,000.

Unable to imagine leaving the pups behind, Britta researched and found organizations that reunite servicemen and women with retired military animals. But Cardi and the pups weren’t soldiers — they were pets.

After sharing their dilemma with a friend stateside, Britta learned about Paws of War (POW), an organization that reunites military personnel with dogs they adopt while overseas.

After 10 years in operation, POW (PawsOfWar.com) has contacts around the world. “We’ll get them home for you,” a representative promised, and it wouldn’t cost her, Josh or Colin a cent!

Joyful reunion

Before Britta, Josh and Colin were due to return to the States, they had to surrender the dogs to a Filipino family being paid by POW to get the pups medically cleared and transported to Manila for their quarantine.

“Please take good care of them,” the trio begged the family. As they shipped home to Camp Lejeune, Britta, Josh and Colin couldn’t help but worry, Will we ever see them again?

After being cleared in the Philippines, Cardi and her puppies had to go through a second quarantine in New York. But finally, in May 2023, the trio gathered outside their North Carolina base and hugged one another with joy as a large POW van pulled up. Cardi must have picked up their scent, because suddenly she started yelping and scratching, frantic to get out.

The instant her paws touched ground, she bounded over, licking her long-lost people.

Colin was transferred to California, where today, Cindy enjoys plenty of playtime and long walks on the beach. Josh will soon be redeployed overseas, so pup Hector’s new job is keeping his wife, Martha, and their new baby safe while he’s away.

After completing her service, Britta took a job in Surf City, North Carolina, with her two best buddies, Cardi and Ivar.

“We ask a lot of our fighting men and women,” says Robert Misseri, POW’s co-founder. “We train them to handle fear, stress and fatigue, but we don’t teach them how to steel themselves to abandon the pets they adopt and love while they’re serving.”

“Marines are always loyal, always faithful and so are their pups,” says Britta. “We couldn’t leave our new best friends behind. We were determined to bring them home, and now we’re going to give them all their best lives ever!”