Fingers crossed for Pen Farthing and Nowzad

I am just glad they got out and if those in charge had acted better there was room for all who needed to but Western leaders were caught picking their noses and chit chatting about summer holidays totally underestimating what was going to happen and the question really is Why.
Good luck to Pen and the animals.

08:11BlueBelle

His determination to do it his way has turned a good deed into a bad situation in my opinion and I know few on this thread will agree with me but sometimes your head must rule your heart

In what way do you think Pen Farthing turned this into a bad situation.

The chartered plane for the rescue was paid for with private donations, it had nothing to do with the British Government or tax payers.

I think Pen Farthing is a hero.

The person who has blood on his hands is Biden for the chaotic withdrawal.

He's besmirched the honour of the Marines - nothing to say there, really, is there?

If the report that he threatened to destroy Wallace and his deputy via social media if he, Farthing, did not get what he wanted re permissions, then yes he has besmirched the honour of the Marines. And of himself.

I’m totally in agreement with you Lucca and thoughtfully compassionately expanded on Bluebell

This thread is bizarre.
He jumped the queue - no he didn't.
He put the animals before humans - no he didn't.
He's a posh arrogant git - tells me more about the poster than anything else.
True animal lovers wouldn't have put the animals on a plane anyway - that's a new one.
He's besmirched the honour of the Marines - nothing to say there, really, is there?
But mostly, being told that supporting Pen’s action means our hearts rule our heads by someone who calls themselves an “animal lover”. I find people who advertise themselves as “animal lovers” generally like pictures of cute kitties and pride themselves on having rescue dogs, making sure everyone knows about it. I’m not an “animal lover” or any other misty-eyed description of a person living up to their convictions.

Those animals might well have died, yes, but they wouldn’t have been hunted down, tortured, raped and killed in a barbaric way
.Exactly Lucca or live undef a torturous, restrictive regime I love animals and hate the idea of them suffering but Im 100 times more concerned for the humans left behind
I don’t understand why supporters of animal welfare don’t get that and how kind is it to put old, or injured, or sick animals into a hold of a plane and fly them thousands of miles to a different country, a different climate, will they survive? well that we ll never know I think this man who obviously started off with completely, good, solid intentions has allowed his anger and upset over the difficulties he’s been through to turn him into an arrogant person who MUST win whatever the cost
His determination to do it his way has turned a good deed into a bad situation in my opinion and I know few on this thread will agree with me but sometimes your head must rule your heart

Well of course there’s a backlash. This is what this country does so well these days! Smokescreen after smokescreen to cover up the actions by the appalling government we have.

Callistemon

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.

Those animals might well have died, yes, but they wouldn’t have been hunted down, tortured, raped and killed in a barbaric way.

LondonMzFitz

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 ..

100%

I don't Twit, so I haven't seen the comments you refer to but I went to bed last night certain that this was being inflated in certain political quarters to try and deflect public attention from the clusterduck that is the whole shoddy shambles of the West's withdrawal from Afghanistan.

As the staff's paperwork was deemed to be wrong, they were not getting on that plane, regardless of how many animals were in the hold. Nothing I've read has made me think that was Mr. Farthing's personal fault.

The whole situation is horrendous beyond imagining - but I will not be swayed by a smear campaign designed to deflect attention from the places where blame lies.

He hasn't put the lives of animals above those of humans.

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.

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.

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.

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 ..

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.

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."

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

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!

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

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

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

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.

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.

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?

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."