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Original poster

One small way to help Afghanistan

335 replies

TimeIhadaNameChange · 15/08/2021 21:22

Copied from a FB post

Tonight not tomorrow tonight we desperately need the help of each and everyone.

Practical action please can everyone tweet Boris Johnson and your own mp and post on their facebook pages and instragrams with #Nowzad animal shelter Afghanistan, save its staff from certain death.

For those who don’t know Nowzad set up the first ever animal shelter in Afghanistan its has dogs, cats and even donkeys. It was set up by former royal marine Pen Farthing. It trains young women and has trained 500 young vets since it started. They will be seen as British collaborators and face certain death and for the women worse, if the 25 staff and their families are not got to the safety of the UK. Please act now as they Nowzad did for the Afghan people and our troops. Tomorrow is too late it has to tonight.

OP posts:
SueSaid · 23/08/2021 08:47

@Shanghaisprize

I can't get behind rescuing animals when there are children in mortal danger

Completely get you, but the animals apparently would be leaving by a (privately funded) cargo plane which wouldn't be suitable for humans anyway.

I can't believe that. If animals can travel in it surely people can.

It is a horrible situation but any air space and flight time should be for planes transporting people.

I am an animal lover but they should not be 'evacuated' in this situation. I feel very sorry for Pen Farthing but just get off sm and the TV all the time talking about animals. It is just not a priority in this urgent and deteriorating situation.

FedNlanders · 23/08/2021 09:26

I really hope they all get out. Animals and all. It's not an either or situation.

snowballer · 23/08/2021 09:32

I can't believe that. If animals can travel in it surely people can.

I think they're talking about a privately funded plane which will have the animals in the hold, and people up top. It's not an either/or situation as far as I've seen. I've donated.

Errno · 23/08/2021 09:48

He has said he will fill the plane with as many British passport holders as possible. Animals in the hold.

Still, for most it is getting to and through the airport that is the problem.

FedNlanders · 23/08/2021 10:05

I'm holding hope but I cant see how they will manage this.

SueSaid · 23/08/2021 10:23

'I think they're talking about a privately funded plane which will have the animals in the hold, and people up top.'

Seems cruel imo. Animals stressed at the crowds at the airport, at the panic then shoved in a hold to be transported. It all seems virtue signalling imo. They should have either euthanised or handed over to the care of others who are staying. People come first, animals sadly should not be taking anyone's time up with organisation in this evacuation when there is an ongoing crisis.

Shanghaisprize · 23/08/2021 11:18

@JaniieJones

I can't believe that. If animals can travel in it surely people can

So when you can't complain about the above any more we have this re them travelling::

Seems cruel imo
They should have either euthanised or handed over to the care of others who are staying

So now you're saying that euthanising healthy animals or leaving them to the 'care' of the Taliban (so starvation or torture) is less cruel than any temporary distress from travelling? When the rehoming process was always going to involve air travel anyway?

Ok then.

Just seen that a business man has paid for a cargo plane to transport them all and that the UK have agreed to take most of the staff there.
It'll be tragic if they end up stuck there as unable to access the airport before any flights stop completely Sad

I wonder if some of the original money raised could go towards transporting these poor guys:

www.facebook.com/kabulsmallanimalrescue

Shanghaisprize · 23/08/2021 11:28

Just seen this:

www.facebook.com/Warpaws/videos/568621564320068

Please, please share if you can - they've not had the publicity and support Nowzad have, but their situation is just as dire and they are almost out of time Sad

There's also an email on the War Paws FB page for anyone able to foster or rehome any dogs or cats IF they do manage to get them back.

Shanghaisprize · 23/08/2021 11:46

www.facebook.com/watch/?v=428210568570200&notif_id=1629655491518014&notif_t=watch_follower_video&ref=notif

This video makes it clear that animals aren't being prioritised over people.

Needapoodle · 23/08/2021 12:06

If the Taliban have given them a chance to get out they need to get out! No animal is worth sacrificing your life for!

Shanghaisprize · 23/08/2021 12:14

If the Taliban have given them a chance to get out they need to get out!

Yes, they know that and are desperately trying to. It is why people have been raising awareness and fundraising for them.

No animal is worth sacrificing your life for!

Who is doing that?

SueSaid · 23/08/2021 12:15

'So now you're saying that euthanising healthy animals or leaving them to the 'care' of the Taliban'

No, not the care of the taliban obviously. To the many Afghans remaining, or yes sadly euthanise them.

Any planning, organising and use of airport infrastructure and facilities should be taken up with getting people out not animals. I've watched that clip and sadly I do believe the bit where he said books and films will be made of it. No doubt called Pen Farthing's Noah's Ark exodus. It is ridiculous and tone deaf. If they want to risk their life and limb fine, just get them off the TV talking about animals when there are thousands of people in mortal danger.

Errno · 23/08/2021 12:15

@Shanghaisprize I’m also following KSAnimalRescue’s pleas for help. Courageous woman & staff. It’s just all happened too quickly for them to prepare. Awful.

Errno · 23/08/2021 12:26

But they aren’t risking their lives for the animals. They are staying and risking their lives for their human Afghan staff who will likely be murdered if they can’t get out. Is that more worthy of your compassion?

Only with the help of media. public pressure and political help, as with Nowzad, will they get out alive.

Taking their animals with them is just an extra added bonus for them (it’s their livelihood) & those of us who can’t bare to think what will happen to those animals if left in the hands of the Taliban.

snowballer · 23/08/2021 12:30

It all seems virtue signalling imo.

FFS

snowballer · 23/08/2021 12:33

When Pen Farthing originally said he wouldn't leave until his staff were out, there was little to no hope of this because his staff weren't eligible for evacuation. They now are, after the government has widened the parameters. His animals are a bonus if they can get them out. His campaign has helped his - human - staff. If he'd just trotted off on his British passport on the first evac flights, that's 25 people who wouldn't have had a hope, but now do. Virtue signalling my arse.

SueSaid · 23/08/2021 12:34

'But they aren’t risking their lives for the animals. They are staying and risking their lives for their human Afghan staff who will likely be murdered if they can’t get out. '

Absolutely support them trying to get their staff out, obviously. However as I keep on saying any bit of planning and organising, and use of airport facilities should be used for just that not animals.

I love animals. We have dogs, I'm a vegetarian, yet I cannot believe transporting animals out of there is a good idea. I don't understand why Farthing didn't think this may happen so perhaps set up an animal sanctuary elsewhere in the first place?! Isn't he ex military so would have known Afghanistan was a ticking time bomb.

Kendodd · 23/08/2021 12:39

As for them not being able to put people in the hold, I would. I would put them into any space they could survive in.
This is getting lots of publicity and sympathy because people like animals (as I do). I haven't seen a single cry of "they're not coming here!" over the animals whereas I've seen loads about the humans.

Needapoodle · 23/08/2021 12:49

The woman from kabul small animal rescue said the people have been given permission to leave. But she won't go because of the animals.

CausingChaos2 · 23/08/2021 13:09

@Needapoodle

The woman from kabul small animal rescue said the people have been given permission to leave. But she won't go because of the animals.
She has been given permission to leave and told that she must go first. She won’t do this as she knows her staff left behind will simply be murdered for ‘collaborating’ with westerners.
Shanghaisprize · 23/08/2021 13:13

FFS

Quite. Because we are all SO SO interested in their ill informed but oh so important opinions.....

Isn't he ex military so would have known Afghanistan was a ticking time bomb
I don't understand why Farthing didn't think this may happen so perhaps set up an animal sanctuary elsewhere in the first place?

So even though the US and every other Western government didn't foresee what has happened over the last week or so, Pen Farthing should have? Rightio... He set up the charity IN Afghanistan for a reason - look it up - you can't rescue Afghan animals from Bolton ffs

use of airport facilities should be used for just that not animals

If the planes containing people have cargo/hold space free and are leaving anyway, where is the issue?

I cannot believe transporting animals out of there is a good idea

they should be handed over to the care of others who are staying

No, not the care of the taliban obviously. To the many Afghans remaining

Now that is just embarrassing. The Afghans left behind who are ruled by the Taliban (who don't allow dogs as pets and are known for torturing them). Who are likely to be starving and even worse very soon - you want them to look after these animals, right?

get them off the TV talking about animals when there are thousands of people in mortal danger

How would change the amount of people they manage to get out of there? It is not a case of people OR animals. And as well as campaigning for the animals, Pen Farthing has also been raising huge awareness of and calling for help for some of the most vulnerable groups there (Children and DV victims).

@Errno - awful, isn't it Sad

get them off the TV talking about animals when there are thousands of people in mortal danger

SueSaid · 23/08/2021 13:25

'If the planes containing people have cargo/hold space free and are leaving anyway, where is the issue?'

How do they magically get to the airport?! Farthing himself said 'taliban taxi' so whatever strings he is pulling to get his goats or whatever to the airport should be being used to get people to the airport.

'So even though the US and every other Western government didn't foresee what has happened over the last week or so, Pen Farthing should have? Rightio... '

Jesus. And haven't we all in fact being saying 'well that was obviously going to happen why tf didn't Biden see it' so yes an ex military person on the ground should have perhaps moved his sanctuary elsewhere months ago.

Shanghaisprize · 23/08/2021 13:48

whatever strings he is pulling to get his goats or whatever to the airport should be being used to get people to the airport

It is cats and dogs, not goats. Get WHAT people to the airport? People that the Taliban won't allow to leave or other countries won't accept? He can't just fucking grab randoms and demand they are taken with him can he. The animals are his property so he has a right to take them, he doesn't have the authority to take random people with him no matter how vulnerable or deserving they are.

Campaigning for the vulnerable Afghan people you advocate are you, or just using your energy to derail and make pointless comments to those trying to campaign for Pen Farthing's/ Nowzads/ War dogs cause?

And haven't we all in fact being saying 'well that was obviously going to happen

No, we haven't. There was no intelligence to suggest that Kabul would be taken as rapidly as it was. People were told that the Taliban were not capable of overriding the Afghan Army in the near future.

Shanghaisprize · 23/08/2021 13:54

Should be being used to get people to the airport

He has already arranged plans to get to the airport/ a flight out for the people to connected to him. He quite rightly said these people came before any animals. He can't demand to take people he doesn't know and cannot vouch for with him.

SueSaid · 23/08/2021 14:08

'No, we haven't. There was no intelligence to suggest that Kabul would be taken as rapidly as it was'

Not as rapidly no, but it was certainly very likely if not when it happened then soon. Who tf has a sanctuary in Kabul, plenty of middle Eastern and far east countries have an animal cruelty problem, most not on the brink of civil war and atrocities.

'Get WHAT people to the airport? People that the Taliban won't allow to leave or other countries won't accept?'

Oh some of the thousands we've seen ubnable to get to the airport unable to enter, haven't you been watching the news?! Perhaps Farthing should be using his 'taliban taxi' links to provide transport for actual people? Cats and dogs getting transported to the airport should not he happening, let alone taking up people's time to process the associated admin stuff and actually get them on board.