Fingers crossed for Pen Farthing and Nowzad

Its those who are suggesting he should just have manned up and stayed behind, like some stiff-upper-lipped hero from the Big Book of Boys' Adventures.

That is truly insulting to anyone in the Forces who has ever put his men and women first.

Callistemon I m with you 100% I don’t know him I don’t have any feelings for him, but I don’t understand how anyone can put an animals life ahead of a humans and I think he has done a big disservice to his staff, like the captain of a boat he should have been the last to leave.
I hope to God the staff can get out but now it looks less likely What a mess

Callistemon

No, I don't hate him at all
That is a childish thing to say! You don't understand the Forces, obviously.

I cannot understand how an ex-Marine Commando can leave behind "his men" - in his case many vulnerable women.

I hope for their sakes they can leave.

Well I didn't mention you, but if the cap fits.

I don't understand the forces, do I? I'll mention that to my ex-naval husband and my decorated ex-RAF father. And I'd mention it to his decorated ex-RAF father as well, but he's no longer with us.

Lot of people on here today who think they know me and what my background is, and feel they can comment on my approach to things based on their preconceptions. Ah well.

Well I didn't mention you, but if the cap fits.

No, it doesn't

Read my posts on this thread and please retract that statement.

Lot of people on here today who think they know me and what my background is, and feel they can comment on my approach to things based on their preconceptions. Ah well.

We only know what you post on social media.

Why should humans always come first? We have done immense damage to the planet and we have started so many wars which have killed billions of people over the years and we are also responsible for the extinction of many species of animals.

I'll mention that to my ex-naval husband and my decorated ex-RAF father. And I'd mention it to his decorated ex-RAF father as well, but he's no longer with us.

It would be interesting to know what they think but I won't ask you because that could compromise your anonymity.

we are also responsible for the extinction of many species of animals.
But dogs and cats are not endangered as far as I know.

Why should humans always come first?
It's the women and girls left behind I fear for.
Cats and dogs can take their chances, there are feral cats and dogs in many countries.
Why should we think we should own them as pets anyway?

BlueBelle

Callistemon I m with you 100% I don’t know him I don’t have any feelings for him, but I don’t understand how anyone can put an animals life ahead of a humans and I think he has done a big disservice to his staff, like the captain of a boat he should have been the last to leave.
I hope to God the staff can get out but now it looks less likely What a mess

Bluebelle I thought he was a truly good man but I don't know how he could desert his staff, especially female staff.

Yes, an almighty mess.

I do believe a lot of problems seem to have been caused by Mr Farthing being adamant about not leaving without his staff and animals. Now he has kept his promise only to the animals and left his staff behind.
I don't know if his staff have the right papers to come here but this endeavour has caused a lot of disruption for them.

Callistemon

^I'll mention that to my ex-naval husband and my decorated ex-RAF father. And I'd mention it to his decorated ex-RAF father as well, but he's no longer with us.^

It would be interesting to know what they think but I won't ask you because that could compromise your anonymity.

I asked DH just now. His comment? "It's good. The staff had to stay? I guess he'll go back for them."

Callistemon

^Well I didn't mention you, but if the cap fits.^

No, it doesn't

Read my posts on this thread and please retract that statement.

I retract.

Would you like to retract the statement about me obviously not understanding the Forces?

If the staff don’t have the right paperwork that’s sad but I don’t see why he should remain behind to face certain death given his military background, just because the staff have to stay. This is hardly comparable with putting your men first in a military scenario or being the captain of a ship. The animals go in the hold here people cannot travel. I too have close military connections so am not ignorant of military ethics.

I understand that the staff were unable to leave owing to incorrect paperwork. I also read that his staff were anxious that he should take said animals as they, the staff, would be unable to care for them , no money for food etc. Without the animals to worry about, the staff would be better placed to care for themselves and their families in the very difficult days to come and at least stand a chance to protect themselves without the burden of starving cats and dogs. This is only what I read. This is a unique situation and cannot be compared to anything military or civilian, the staff were unable to physically leave, so realistically surely it's better to do the best you can than everyone risk perishing including the creatures you were attempting to protect.

Frankly that is a silly comment. I'm sure he would not have left anyone behind if it had been in his control.

That comment directed at Callistemon for suggesting he shouldn't have left his staff behind.

He had no choice , Joe Biden changed the rules on Visa's? Animals don't need them.

Do people not read the previous posts? It's been pointed out again and again that the Staff didn't have the right paperwork to go through the Taliban checkpoints as per Bidens instructions. Pen remaining at the Animal Sanctuary would put a target on it for Taliban, especially this new and more radical lot. Ex Marine - it would be putting the Staff in extreme danger!

Animals were going in the hold, on a privately paid for chartered Airbus A330 - I don't know if that has still happened after the suicide bomber on Thursday.

I'm thinking the Staff that want to go will now try overland with the paperwork they have - Boris Johnson had given the green light for the Staff to travel last weekend. They couldn't possibly have done that with trucks of animals. Temperatures of 30°+ during the day, drops savagely at night, animals in their carry cases. I honestly am guessing at this but it seems to be the most feasible option to get the animals out by air - and if Pen was at the airport at 5pm our time yesterday they've been cooped up in the carry cases for over 24 hours now.

Please, those who wander into this thread to post their anger re animals before people, why not zip through the last few pages. I'm hopeful that, as Pen couldn't take his staff, he's been able to get some others on the plane, although the facility for people (civilians) wanting to leave to get paperwork in place and checked closed yesterday.

I'm also hopeful that the British Ambassador Laurie Bristow and his staff have a safe journey. He seems to have behaved with grace and dignity and worked bloody hard!

There is no confirmation he has left with the animals is there?
It all seems a bit hearsay, maybe on purpose

humptydumpty

Frankly that is a silly comment. I'm sure he would not have left anyone behind if it had been in his control.

No, it's not silly.

However, they would probably not have obtained the correct paperwork to be able to leave because they were not working for the British Government or for any of the Forces of any NATO countries. They were working for a charity.

Listening to the voice of reason, an ex-servicemen who said:

"We were not there, we cannot judge. We don't know if he was bundled on to the plane by service personnel. He will probably have to live with the guilt and remorse of having to leave his staff behind to face such peril for the rest of his life."

Nowzad
(Posted on facebook 9pm UK time) ·
We are relieved to confirm that Pen and the Nowzad animals left Afghanistan this afternoon and are now safe.
However, we still have much to do as our wonderful team in Kabul were not allowed through the final barrier. It was a devastating blow to us. We are now working extremely hard to get them evacuated and will not rest until they too are safe.
Our thoughts for now are with our staff and the many people and animals who have also been left behind. We will do our utmost to help them.
The last few days have been extremely difficult and hazardous for Pen and the Nowzad team and we very much appreciate your patience and messages of support as we have strived to get them to safety. We know that Pen will update you as soon as he is able.
For now, thank you so much for the incredible support you have shown the whole Nowzad team. It has given our staff the strength to cope with this desperate situation.

There is a horrific backlash taking place on social media against Pen. I honestly think this is a coordinated attempt by MP Ben Wallace and his team to shift attention from the shambolic withdrawal, the people left behind and the reported papers implicating Afghans who have worked with the Brits left for the Taliban to look at.

I'm not usually one for conspiracy theories, but there are dozens of posts on Twitter from people with less than 20 followers. It's weird ..

Horrible, isn't it LondonMzFitz

Pen tried hard to get the staff out. He is going to continue to try.

The Mail is now on a mission to blacken his name as well.

The way people are going on, one would think that the whole thing is Pen's fault.

Thank you for confirming that at least the animals and Pen are not stuck in the airport LondonMzFitz.

My mum has been a cat rescuer for years and many times I have been frustrated with her for putting the cats before herself (Bill's, food) but that is what animal lovers do and the staff will be glad the animals got a chance.
I do hope more people get out. What a mess.

BlueBelle

Callistemon I m with you 100% I don’t know him I don’t have any feelings for him, but I don’t understand how anyone can put an animals life ahead of a humans and I think he has done a big disservice to his staff, like the captain of a boat he should have been the last to leave.
I hope to God the staff can get out but now it looks less likely What a mess

Bluebelle I was very upset at the thought of what would happen to the staff left behind and the thoughts that it is not part of the ethos and integrity of an ex-Royal Marine Commando to do anything like this, but, as I posted above,
an ex-servicemen said:
Listening to the voice of reason, an ex-servicemen who said:

"We were not there, we cannot judge. We don't know if he was bundled on to the plane by service personnel. He will probably have to live with the guilt and remorse of having to leave his staff behind to face such peril for the rest of his life."

I do feel, however, that a cat will survive as best it can; were the staff able to leave if the paperwork had been processed, they would live to rescue another thousand+ animals in need.