Duke was shot before he could make the trip and nearly lost his life, but has now recovered and is ready to fly to his new home.
Duke is now set to fly to America and to Sergeant Kelsey. "The entire Army unit is so excited that Duke is coming home. This is the moment we've prayed for," said Sergeant Kelsey. The staff at the Alamal Foundation also held a farewell party for Duke, who they fostered during his recovery. It included a dog-friendly celebration cake, party hats and well wishes. Paws of War has launched a campaign to help raise money for Duke’s flight to the U.S. and his lifetime medical care. "Everyone is thinking of our troops serving overseas right now and they want to help in some way," said Dereck Cartright. "We absolutely want to put a smile on their faces and ensure they don’t have to worry about Duke surviving. We are happy to help them with this mission and hope that many people in the community will want to support it as well. We can’t do it without their support."
Duke is expected to reach the U.S. this month.