Paws of War, an animal nonprofit, is launching a campaign to reunite a sergeant with a cat he befriended during his overseas deployment, as per a press release obtained by PEOPLE. Staff Sergeant Morales and his team bonded with the cat, Tuna, while serving in the Middle East. Tuna, however, passed away after giving birth to three kittens.
Nonprofit to rescue overseas cat
Although two of the kittens have found new homes, the third one, Frankie, is still overseas. Paws of War is working to rescue her and bring her to Morales’ loving home in Massachusetts. In a statement, Morales mentioned that having cats around while serving overseas has been “a morale boost.”
The sergeant also spoke about the pressure soldiers face and how “mentally and physically prepared” they must be to do their jobs. “We have to be there for the soldiers on their worst days. I didn’t think cats would change my life on this base, but they certainly have been a game changer,” Morales added.
Robert Misseri, co-founder of Paws of War, mentioned in his statement that Frankie, “the runt of the litter,” needs to be rescued and reunited with her companion. He also added that the mission is a “team effort” and highlighted the importance of outside support. “We will do everything we can to get her safely to the soldier’s home, but we can’t do it without the help of people in the community.”
Paws of War’s mission
Founded in 2014, Paws of War is a nonprofit organization that assists military members with therapy and service dog training, animal rescue, and more. According to its website, the group has helped rescue more than 600 dogs and cats.
Paws of War also serves as a community center where veterans and first responders can gather to share their stories while supporting each other. There is no cost for the organization’s services as it believes in “helping both ends of the leash.”
To help the organization bring home the sergeant’s cat, you can contribute to Frankie’s rescue mission online.
