Have you ever been tempted to save that "poor little puppy's" life by airlifting it from its miserable life in Egypt, Greece or Asia, and bringing it home, so you can pamper it with vitamin bones and pet spa treatments? I have friends who have rescued a puppy from one of the Greek islands (don't ask how they got her on the plane) and after 10 years, they are still enjoying each other's company in DC.

However, after reading this blog on latimes.com, you might want to stay away from stray pets for a while. Especially in Iraq.

Apparently, the rule for troops about wild animals in Iraq is very clear: Leave them alone, no matter how cute they are. But what's a soldier, missing his pets from home, to do? One young Marine could not resist a stray cat in an Iraqi village. As he was holding the cat, the animal went on a biting and scratching jag, "striking the Marine in a vulnerable spot". The Marine ended up being evacuated for medical care. He will certainly have some good stories about his war wounds.

Filed under: Asia, Iraq, Travel Health