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Original poster

This Pen Farthing guy

999 replies

TheGenealogist · 25/08/2021 10:54

The bloke with the animal shelter in Kabul.

Refusing to leave unless he can take ALL of his 60 odd staff and ALL of his 200+ cats and dogs with him. Hmm Expecting the government to make special rules for him and his friends.

Getting people out - understandable. The Taliban aren't going to look kindly on people who have translated for the military, or "collaborated" in other ways. But staff at an animal shelter?

And as for the refusing to leave without the animals and making this all out to be the UK government's fault? For not falling over themselves to arrange transport for a bunch of ownerless animals nobody wants when there are human beings in fear of their lives?

What is this guy playing at?

OP posts:
Thread gallery
8
ajja2021 · 25/08/2021 14:45

Tax payer isn't funding it. I have no issue, he wants his animals and staff safe and he's got the means to do so, just needed authority to land the plane

wewereliars · 25/08/2021 14:45

TheGenealogist

If you start a snide thread about someone who is actually trying to save lives in terrible circumstances don't complain if people call yuo out for it.

Volunteering for anything does not give you a free pass

Saucery · 25/08/2021 14:47

Op ignored the existing thread about this to start her own. I never understand why people do that, unless they want a bit of attention and glory all to themselves. Which strangely, is what she wanted people to descend on her thread and accuse Pen Farthing of……

WiddlinDiddlin · 25/08/2021 14:47

How have you failed to grasp that the animals would be taking space in the hold, that people CANNOT use?

So he can fly out a plane full of people and animals, or a plane full of people and an empty hold?

There's no queue jumping asked for or expected, there's no 'bumping people for pets', nor is he by ANY means flying out ALL his dogs and cats.. he has euthanised all that would be too old to make the trip or unsuitable to rehomed here.

The original plan was a chartered plane paid for privately by fundraising, had Ben Wallace not halted things for no reason that might have gone ahead, not sure that will now.

As for jobs for the vets and vet nurses whose lives would be not just 'at risk' but brutally and swiftly OVER... Vets Now and Pets At Home have offered employment -the UK is struggling for veterinary professionals at the minute.

As for banging on that he's an ex marine, I think you'd be banging that drum if you'd spent 22 years risking your life, only to be cut off and blocked and shit on from a great height now...

NuttySlacker · 25/08/2021 14:48

Life is life. The importance you place on one life vs another, is nothing but arbitrary opinion. Similarly, whether two lives are more important than one.

There is not great almighty tally system that places all life in order of importance. Just opinions.

I hold those opinions as much as the next person - but they are just my opinions. Not some great and universal truth.

notimagain · 25/08/2021 14:48

@DogFoodPie

He’s not ex SAS (there a joke about the Albert Hall balcony in there somewhere) and he wasn’t a commissioned officer.

I beg his pardon he is an ex Royal Marines Commando colour Sergeant

Yup, NCO with the RM.

The last thing he or his group need whilst they are in country is claims starting to circulate that he was special Forces..

DancesWithTortoises · 25/08/2021 14:49

It's upsetting how many people value animal life more than human life.

This man has stirred up support by waving a cute little animal called Ewok at the cameras. I saw him. A master manipulator.

The plane holding Ewok and the other animals is taking up a slot that 600 humans could use - why don't people understand that?

The plane will not hold as many humans as a proper evacuation plane would - women and children.

It's heartbreaking that people care so little for these desperate people.

annacondom · 25/08/2021 14:50

The interview I saw with him said he had the plane and was waiting for a slot. He also mentioned getting the dogs out, but said he would take them to the airport and leave them to starve at the last minute if absolutely necessary in order to get the people away. There was no mention of the cats. It sounded like an admin failure of no contact from the people organising the slots for the planes.

toomuchlaundry · 25/08/2021 14:52

@DancesWithTortoises he's helping people though. What have you done, what have most people done on this thread to help?

Many countries have stopped their flights as have got their nationals out and Afghans who helped them, so there are less flights

FloconDeNeige · 25/08/2021 14:55

Oooh OP’s invented some imaginary volunteering now! £15K’s worth apparently 🤣 Like fuck

Comedycook · 25/08/2021 14:56

It's upsetting how many people value animal life more than human life

Completely agree

userxx · 25/08/2021 14:56

A master manipulator

You've got to be fucking joking?

XenoBitch · 25/08/2021 14:57

@Comedycook

It's upsetting how many people value animal life more than human life

Completely agree

It is upsetting that anyone would think of anything other than the best of luck for Operation Ark.

Do you hope it fails?

NuttySlacker · 25/08/2021 14:58

Anyone who values life is doing ok, for me.

There are far too many that don't value it at all: human or animal.

Comedycook · 25/08/2021 15:00

Do you hope it fails?

Don't be so ridiculous. I hope the people all reach safety asap. I have no strong feelings on the animals though

Aurora791 · 25/08/2021 15:00

Playing Devil’s advocate- You can disagree with the way he has gone about things, without hoping he fails. I don’t think anyone would wish that on anyone!

PinkSparklyPussyCat · 25/08/2021 15:01

@DancesWithTortoises I care for people as well as animals (although I prefer my cat to many people on this thread), it doesn't have to be either/or. I'm happy to admit there are plenty of people I would happily trample over to save an animal (pick a criminal of your choice here) as the animal's life is worth far more.

I hope I'm never in the position where I have to choose but I would help people I know over strangers any day of the week.

DancesWithTortoises · 25/08/2021 15:03

[quote toomuchlaundry]@DancesWithTortoises he's helping people though. What have you done, what have most people done on this thread to help?

Many countries have stopped their flights as have got their nationals out and Afghans who helped them, so there are less flights[/quote]
That is such a stupid question. What have I done? Written stroppy emails demanding that this chap isn't allowed to bully his way into getting what he wants. What else can a 70 year old wheelchair user do? Do tell. Apart from donate to human causes for the refugees.

He isn't helping people - just a by product to his own selfish wants. 600 people could be saved in the time slot that he 300 people and his animals take up.

It cannot be justified unless you really think animals matter more. They don't.

FloconDeNeige · 25/08/2021 15:05

It cannot be justified unless you really think animals matter more. They don't

Sometimes they do.

XenoBitch · 25/08/2021 15:07

He isn't helping people - just a by product to his own selfish wants. 600 people could be saved in the time slot that he 300 people and his animals take up

So selfish, using a private charter plane to fly people to safety. So selfish compared to empty planes, or those carrying cars.

Tara336 · 25/08/2021 15:08

So Pen Farthing sets up a rescue centre, employs locals, trains locals and then raises the money to get all of his staff, the families and animals out of an absolutely terrifying situation and people think he’s unreasonable? He’s a decent human being trying to do the right thing, it’s as simple as that. I applauded him for that. This thread really does show how absolutely unpleasant, selfish and I caring some people can really be. All lives have value not just human ones.

wintercoffees · 25/08/2021 15:09

I can't believe you have made this post. How bitter of you.

wewereliars · 25/08/2021 15:09

Once more, for the hard of thinking, people cannot be put in the hold, where the animals will be put.

EvilPea · 25/08/2021 15:11

@Comedycook

It's upsetting how many people value animal life more than human life

Completely agree

Arguably the world wouldn’t be as fucked as it is now if we valued animal life even minutely.

But that is another thread.

MakemeaCake · 25/08/2021 15:13

Can anyone tell me why the posters who purport to believe in love and peace, man, are always the ones to swear and throw personal insults at anyone not agreeing with them?

Funny that, isn't it?

You get a good idea of why wars start by just reading posts here. People supposedly caring for their fellow humans while happy to trade personal insults just because someone has another view point.

FWIW I still say we don't know the half of it.

For security reasons, not everything is out there in the media.

What I do think is that when there is competition for runway space, you don't allow a private plane to take off with 200 people or whatever, when a military aircraft that can lift many more people could use that slot.

Some posters seem to think the airport in Kabul is like Heathrow with all the planes lined up in neat rows and passengers walking over the tarmac in an orderly fashion just waiting for take off.

There has already been a night time mission by the SAS to get a group of UK soldiers out of an area where they were surrounded by Taliban.

It's unbelievable that so much time is being devoted to animals when 4K Brits are waiting to be lifted out.

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