Danny Rindone, an army veteran, was deployed to Syria during a period of great turmoil. He noticed the poor and sad state of the dogs, who spent most of their time searching for food. Some of the strays were able to follow where Danny stayed, and they lingered because the military fed them food scraps.
Danny was intrigued by one of the canines. She was scrawny and filthy, but something about her captured Danny’s attention. He devoted his free time finding her and then helping her out. As he learned more about her, he began to refer to her as Syri. His days were brighter with Syri’s presence despite the gloomy atmosphere in Syria.
He wanted to do something for her, so he contacted the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SCPA) International animal rescue organization to inquire about bringing a dog to the United States. The executive director of SCPA International, Meredith Ayan, deduced from Danny’s letter that Syri meant a great deal to him, thus the organization went out to assist Syri and the other dogs in leaving Syria.
Danny was optimistic that he would see Syri shortly after leaving her in the hands of SCPA in Erbil, Iraq.
When Syri’s immunizations and papers were complete, the Erbil Airport suspended operations. The airport did not reopen; therefore, Syri ended up spending four months with SCPA. Danny repeatedly requested updates and photographs of Syri.
SCPA was ultimately able to secure a flight out of Iraq, but Syri had to travel for over twenty-four hours. When Danny picked her up from the airport, she was quite exhausted. It took her some time to recognize Danny, but when she did, their reunion was quite touching.
Syri enjoys living in New York City immensely. It is a very different environment than where she grew up in. She appreciates the snow and explores every nook and cranny of Central Park.
The dog has become an ambassador for SCPAI as a result of Danny’s desire to connect more people and dogs. He wishes to repay the favor by pushing for the rescue of dogs in Syria.
Source: The Dodo