Page 805 - Total War on PTSD

someone was planning on stealing it, but it appeared as though they had only taken my dog. I noticed Bridget's leash was missing from the hook on the wall. The police were called and took a report, but weren't able to do much more. Even though I had been living as a civilian for 12 years, I immediately went back into military mode. I was Staff Sergeant Hoffman again, and my mission was to find my dog. I bought security cameras that same night and strategically positioned them should the criminals return. I started a social media campaign that grew to reach tens of thousands of people. The media was contacted and three local News stations ran stories on Bridget. I canvased the area putting up strategically placed signs. I made business cards with Bridget’s photo and information and handed them out to everyone I saw. I contacted every animal shelter, veterinarian, city hall, police station, and fire station in the surrounding area and alerted them to the situation and asked for their help. I contacted a dog tracking team to see if they could help locate her. I turned the search for Bridget into a full-time job. Every moment I was awake was dedicated to her rescue efforts. I didn't eat for four days. I made a commitment that my mission would only be complete under two conditions (1) I found Bridget or (2) I knew for certain that she was dead.
On Christmas Eve morning Bridget was found. She was curled up near some bushes on the side of a rural road in below freezing temperatures. My girlfriend was so worried about Bridget that she couldn't sleep. She got out of bed at 6a.m. and drove around looking for her. I received a call from my girlfriend at 6:30a.m.; she was in tears. Bridget was alive, but she was in bad condition. We both rushed to the nearest emergency animal hospital. When I met them there and saw Bridget for the first time, my heart sank. The spark in her eye that had warmed my heart for so long was gone. It was as if she had lost her spirit. Her captors had cut her left front leg with a
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