An 11-year-old war dog survivor named Lucy, rescued from an ISIS controlled area by United States Army veteran Brendan Jones in 2015, is currently being caged at the Shenandoah County Animal Shelter in Edinburg, Virginia. According to local officials, Lucy faces potential euthanasia.
Jones, a military veteran and Arabic linguist, found Lucy in 2015 while deployed in Afghanistan. In a post on X, Jones said he bribed a Jordanian officer to get the dog veterinary care before bringing her home. According to Jones, Lucy helped him deal with the anxiety he felt after the birth of his son as he struggled to return for multiple deployments.
So what happened?
When the family moved to a farm in Strasburg, neighbors had been complaining about animal sounds coming from the family’s farm. There had been multiple police calls and visits from authorities and court complaints over what they described as “animal sounds.” So when the barking incident occurred, it was to become the perfect storm for the disgruntled neighbors to push the charges against Lucy.
In 2025, the family said Lucy had been declared “dangerous” by local authorities after she nipped a jogger. They said the behavior was out of character for the dog, who had recently come out of surgery and was groggy. And although they disputed the “dangerous” dog designation, avoiding more aggravation and legal costs, they just accepted the limitations placed on their dog.
Fast forward to April 17, 2026 when Lucy temporarily slipped her collar while on a morning walk and barked at a person walking by, Lucy’s fate became endangered. The family insists the dog never left their property and did not bite or touch anyone. Animal control seized her because the label “dangerous dog” meant she always had to be collared and leashed when outdoors.
When animal control came to seize Lucy, the the couple’s children had been outside with her and were extremely upset. The dog had always been with the children.
The family is asking the public for help as they await word on the dog’s fate. The next court hearing is June 12, 2026. The family and supporters are pushing for the Commonwealth’s Attorney (Liz Cooper) to drop the charges and release Lucy. The main contact number for Liz (Elizabeth) Cooper, Commonwealth’s Attorney for Shenandoah County, Virginia, is the office phone: 540-459-6129.
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“Three weeks ago, Lucy temporarily slipped out of her collar while on a morning walk and barked at a neighbor. The family insists the dog never left their property and did not bite or touch anyone.
Dolly Jones said the family has tried to get Lucy back and accused the neighbors of plotting against them, adding that they are fighting for their “rights to exist on our own property without fear.”
The Jones family has launched the #SaveLucy campaign in hopes of saving the dog they’ve owned for more than a decade. “We’re hoping that her life is bookended by miracles,” Brendan said. “One to get her here, to save her from the Islamic State, and one to get her out of the hands of our own state.”
