Hero Dog Eli and the Texas Animal Hall of Fame

摘要

The Foundation has made the decision to fund the veterinary care—for life—of Eli, a loyal Labrador who served his country and his owner, whom he stood by until the end. If you haven't heard this amazing story, here is a quick synopsis: U.S. Marine Corps Lance Corporal Colton Rusk, a Texan from Orange Grove, was thrilled by his assignment to serve as a military dog handler. When Rusk was paired with the loyal Labrador, the two quickly became inseparable—to the point of sharing the same sleeping bag. But last December, when Rusk and Eli were searching for hidden bombs in Afghanistan, a sniper fired on and killed Rusk. Eli threw his body over the fallen Marine in protection and stayed with him until other Marines came to their aid. The family of Rusk decided to adopt Eli and, though the dog cost thousands of dollars to train and was still considered operational, the military discharged him early so he could be with the family of his fallen handler.