Washington The family of a US Army animal lover who died in his sleep while serving in Iraq have honoured his wishes and brought home two stray dogs that he had befriended in Baghdad.

Sergeant Peter Neesley, who was 28, took care of Mama, a black labrador mix, and Boris, her white-and-brown spotted puppy, while on patrol. Another of Mama's puppies was killed by a car, so Sgt Neesley and his friends built a kennel to shelter the animals.

“When he came home in July he was going to find a way to bring them with him,” Carey Neesley, his sister, said.

While Sgt Neesley's fellow soldiers cared for Mama and Boris, a vet with the Iraqi Society for Animals vaccinated the dogs and arranged for the health certificates that allowed them to travel to America.

Mama and Boris were scheduled to arrive today at the Grosse Pointe Farms, Michigan, home of Sgt Neesley's mother.

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