Fingers crossed for Pen Farthing and Nowzad

www.defenseone.com/threats/2021/08/no-us-military-dogs-were-left-behind-afghanistan-dod-says/184984/

Alegrias1

www.defenseone.com/threats/2021/08/no-us-military-dogs-were-left-behind-afghanistan-dod-says/184984/

Thank you for showing this link. I would have been surprised if any of these highly trained and extremely useful dogs would have been left behind.

You're welcome Dustyhen2010

What are you "blaming" the Taliban for Jabberwok, other than the obvious? They believe this is their country. They also have a very different culture where animals are concerned. Do you mean we should be telling them they should change that culture?

Haven't we just tried that and failed?

I don’t know the validity of this but, if true, some very serious questions need to be asked.

twitter.com/realjameswoods/status/1432854424959938564?s=21

Well he also shared the disinformation about the military dogs being left behind, so my vote is with "untrue". Also, its James Woods. Well known Trump advocate and right winger who thinks the US is a victim of mass illegal invasions.

Thanks for the link about the dogs Alegrias.

Yes i’ve just looked into this and realise it’s not likely to be factual. I don’t know about James Woods as not on twitter; isn’t he an actor?

PippaZ

I think you may have been on the end of a message to a few LondonMzFitz. I apologise if you got an undeservedly full blast

Didn't lose sleep over it ....

tickingbird

Yes i’ve just looked into this and realise it’s not likely to be factual. I don’t know about James Woods as not on twitter; isn’t he an actor?

He is an actor and usually a good one. He is also a Republican and a great fan of Trump who tweets lots of silly things, such as Trump to get a Nobel peace prize.

James Howard Woods was born on April 18, 1947 in Vernal, Utah, the son of Martha A. (Smith) and Gail Peyton Woods, a U.S. Army intelligence officer who died during Woods' childhood. James is of Irish, English, and German descent

right winger who thinks the US is a victim of mass illegal invasions.

Never heard of him, but is this him?

So not Indigenous American then?

James Woods is an ass. Throws in a few attention seeking tweets every now and again in support of Trump.

Pen Farthing did a live Facebook video lunchtime (lucky I'm working from home and noticed it on my phone). He seems in extremely good spirits now, isolating at a hotel in Norway, hopes to do a Covid test today and be able to spend time with his Norwegian wife. Confirmed 6 cats died but that's been put down to being caught in smoke bombs after the bombings at Kabul airport last Thursday; apparently one of the dogs was found to have an injury which may be a stab wound from Taliban while in the carrying crate or possibly an abscess which hadn't been noticed before, but is recovering well. He says the Operation (Operation Ark) is only 50% complete with his staff still in Afghanistan and (he said) terrified; once out of Covid restrictions he's going to get onto getting them out. Said the last UK Military aircraft was airborne before his commercial plane, said several times he asked if there were any people he could put on his plane but was told there weren't.

He got quite emotional recounting that everything he's built up at the Nowzad Sanctuary has gone, 15 years work, the buildings and the animal runs etc. The donkeys and the bull (bull ?!?) were safe somewhere secret.

He was constantly asked about the other Rescue, Kabul Small Animal Rescue run by an American, Charlotte Maxwell-Jones*. Pen shut those questions down as he strongly suggested that people who shouldn't know what was happening would be finding it out by the answers to the questions (hinting that stuff is happening behind the scenes, time will tell). Also asked that any rehoming emails wait for a few weeks, at least until the animals are out of quarantine.

He has a bottle of red wine and English Tea Bags and is in very good spirits, I think. I've seen a few more posts about the animals he's got out - BBC Report www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-essex-58409613 A woman who helped process rescued dogs and cats flown from Afghanistan said they were "in amazing condition"

So that's nice.

*Charlotte Maxwell Jones, a US citizen, also tried to evacuate dozens of animals in her care, some of which came from Afghanistan families in the last few weeks, fleeing their homes. I've not followed the story because the Nowzad one has been gruelling for my mental health. The photos of dog crates stacked up at Kabul which has been at the root of claims the US Service dogs were left behind were those of the Kabul Small Animal Rescue, I understand. She refused to get on the aircraft when the US left on Tuesday without the animals, in particular one small sickly puppy.

Above is from what I've read between my fingers. Next I'll be hiding behind the sofa trying to not see this stuff.

Thank you London MzFitz. Such a terrible mess.x

17:45LondonMzFitz

Yes thanks for all your info.

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Really LondonMzFitz, gruelling for your mental health? This whole saga has been very upsetting for many people but sadly it’s just one of far too many stories of abused animals readily available if you care to look in the hope you might be able to help. But I guess you don’t, all too gruelling for your fragile mental health. Give me strength.

Germanshepherdsmum

Really LondonMzFitz, gruelling for your mental health? This whole saga has been very upsetting for many people but sadly it’s just one of far too many stories of abused animals readily available if you care to look in the hope you might be able to help. But I guess you don’t, all too gruelling for your fragile mental health. Give me strength.

I got divorced in January 2021 from the husband who was in Afghanistan in 2010.
He's "given" our 11 year old family dog to his girlfriend although he's sworn on a stack of legal books he's not living with her and her teenage daughters (although you can see his car outside her house on google maps). I haven't fought it because -
The family home my now deceased parents helped me buy is sold with 46% going to him, and I'm looking for somewhere else to live, new owners want in by the end of the month and I can't find anywhere I can afford and keep working which work got wind of last week and are sulking because I'll be leaving within a few weeks after 12 years.
I'm trying to pack a 3 bed house up and looking into storage and probably living in friends spare room so, you know, my mental health in general really isn't great. Yes, it's fragile - walk in my shoes, or anyone else's shoes before passing such unkindness, maybe?
Just - wow.

LondonMzFitz
You seem to have enough going on in your own life without worrying about Farthing and his animals, unless you find that helps as a diversion from your own problems. I'm sorry you're having such a tough time.

I really am more worried about the children left in Afghanistan than dogs and cats but I suppose we all have our priorities. I can't get the picture of that little girl out of my mind, the one filmed trying to sleep by the side of a busy road, lost her parents, alone and hungry. I think the cameraman's family took her in for a night then I think to an area where children who had lost their parents were being kind of cared for, living in tents.
www.itv.com/news/2021-08-23/young-orphaned-girl-symbolises-afghanistans-humanitarian-crisis

No living creatures deserve to be harmed (with a few exceptions) but I know I would help that child before I'd rescue a cat.

It's never been either / or. A situation where you can only help the cats and dogs OR you can help the people.

I can't speed up the process to help those who want/need to get out of Afghanistan get through the required processes, but I can in some small way help to get the Nowzad staff out, the trained Vets and Vet nurses and their families by supporting Pen Farthing, so I did. The misinformation that is out there is frustrating and I can't believe it's had to be repeated it's never been people before animals.

It's not just the UK or US Government that have - and still are - stepping up to help people, Governments will help people, but as we've seen, not animals. There are procedures in place for Governments to get those who want to out. Agencies that will help people (including children). Afghan people have been taken in by numerous countries. At no time and in now way has the airlift of the animals slowed down or hindered the process of getting people out.

I’m sorry to hear you’re having a tough time LondonMzFitz. But, for me, my money will be going, as it has already, to helping the people.

Message deleted by Gransnet. Here's a link to our Talk guidelines.

Oh my - I don't think it was "deeply unpleasant", I thought it would be better to PM that put on here. But I will allow others to judge (and please remember, I don't do sarcasm). Two paragraphs - my message.

I'm sure you didn't read my post and rub your hands together thinking "great, I'm going to take the piss out of this person who has let it be known she's struggling". I'm sure you didn't.
I think your post says more about you than about me, ultimately, and I hope you will reflect on your words directed at someone who was feeling very fragile today.

LondonMzFitz good luck with what you have in front of you. Don't let the bastards drag you down - ex not posters on here - and - when you are going through hell keep going.
You can find the momentum to turn the corner and at some point move forward with a new four legged friend who will need you. It is hard when you have run out of strength but it will be back.?

I’m new to this thread but I’m shocked by some of the posts made by those who profess to care more about people than animals. All I can say is, it doesn’t show.

LondonMkFitz. You seem a really nice caring person, hope things improve for you soon.