Hundreds gathered at The Royalton Mansion as Paws of War hosted its annual Hearts and Heroes Gala honoring service members, veterans and volunteers on Thursday, April 23, while spotlighting the organization’s efforts to rescue animals from war zones and reunite them with U.S. troops.
The event, emceed by Erin Colton, celebrated what organizers described as “courage, compassion and the unbreakable bond” between military personnel and the animals they encounter during deployment.
At the center of the evening was Paws of War’s War Torn Pups and Cats Program, which rescues animals from conflict zones and brings them to the United States for reunification with the service members who cared for them overseas. To date the program has transported more than 600 animals.
“Paws of War is committed to providing support and programs to our heroes every day,” said Robert Misseri, co-founder of the organization. “They stand on the front lines protecting our freedom. These remarkable individuals and their families sacrifice so much for each of us.”
Misseri said the program addresses the emotional toll of leaving animals behind in war zones.
“Service members form bonds with the animals they save during deployment,” he said. “Leaving an animal behind is difficult emotionally. For this reason, we take on these challenging missions and bring these dogs and cats to the United States and reunite them with their service members.”
The gala recognized five active-duty service members from the New York metropolitan area, including two Purple Heart recipients injured during an Iranian-backed attack on their base in the Middle East in 2024: Sgt. Ryan Kissoon and Pvt. First Class Michael Branch — whose recognition was accepted by his mother, Cynthia Branch — Sgt. Kia Garnette, Pvt. First Class Anabel Zuniga and Pvt. First Class Naraly Garcia.
At the time of the 2024 attack, a Paws of War team was already in the region working to secure six puppies rescued by soldiers. Despite the dangers, the team successfully transported the animals to safety in the United States, where the service members were later reunited with them during a ceremony in Brooklyn.
One of the evening’s most emotional moments honored Air Force veteran Nick Martucci, who was reunited with his Military Working Dog, Remco, after five years apart. With assistance from Paws of War, Martucci traveled to South Korea alongside Nikki Dawson to bring the retired patrol dog home, a rare outcome, as handlers are not always able to adopt their working dogs after service.
“We spend every day, all day together,” Martucci said. “He got me through a lot of dark emotional moments.”
Source: LI Press
