Father of dead soldier gets his dog

One of the last wishes of a British soldier killed in Afghanistan was that his dog be returned to his family if he were killed, officials said. Private Conrad Lewis' request became a reality when Pegasus, the mutt he adopted in Helmand province in Afghanistan, was sent to his father, Anthony Lewis, ABC News reported. Lewis died Feb. 9, 2010, in Helmand province when a bullet fired by a Taliban sniper bounced off another soldier and struck him, killing him instantly. "He was bloody unlucky," said Lewis' father, Antony Lewis, from his home in Warwickshire, England. Lewis said the Pegasus is a link to his son. "I think [Pegasus] is a link to his time there, but also a link to him," Lewis said. "[Conrad] put time and effort into her, and she put time and effort into him. I think there's a strange bond between people and their dogs." Pegasus was sent to Lewis through the efforts of his fellow soldiers and a British non-profit organization called Nowzad, which has rescued more than 200 dogs in Afghanistan. "She followed them throughout, avoiding shots and IEDs over a six-month period," Lewis said of Pegasus. "She would lie with Conrad when he lay down and get up when they moved off, even in nine-hour contacts. She was a real companion, a true soldier's friend."