NORWICH – Thanks to the concerted efforts of Pet Street Station Animal Hospital and the Patriot Guard Riders (PGR), the life of a treasured friend was saved last December.

After three tours of duty in Iraq and two in Afghanistan, Army Sgt. Joyce Gibbons returned to an empty home. All that remained of her previous life was her closest friend, a Jack Russell named Squeakers.

“No matter how I felt or what was going on, he always made me smile,” she said.

On Dec. 3, Squeakers was admitted to Pet Street Station, severely dehydrated and unresponsive.

“The chance of not having him in my life gave me the worst feeling I have ever had,” said Gibbons. I’ve been in fire fights in multiple third world countries while deployed, I’ve been bombed, and blown up. But this had me more scared than what was going on there.”

Barely able to left his head, Squeakers was suffering from an obstruction in his intestines and was in need of emergency surgery.