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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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:
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8
lynsey91 · 25/08/2021 12:10

@PegasusReturns

The whole thing is strange.

Enough money to fund the charter of a plane

An ability to have his peoples visas processed before others who are at direct risk.

The ability to have his people get to the airport and through the queues ahead of others, also with legit, paperwork.

I don't know how much the charter of the plane is costing but there was an appeal for money which loads of people donated to.

Most of my friends and family donated. I know about a week ago they had raised £200,000 and I expect the amount has gone up since.

Me and DH and loads of friends have supported Pen's charity for years

Megameg56 · 25/08/2021 12:12

Jesus fucking christ you are so totally right X

failedbyGP · 25/08/2021 12:12

He isn't expecting anything except the appropriate clearance.

He has his own charter self-funded charter plane.

He wants to bring his Afghan staff who will otherwise likely be executed for collaborating with westerners.

The government have been filmed bring cars back in those army planes - that is truly morally heinous. Even a dog and cat are worth more than some dickhead's car.

ArcherDog · 25/08/2021 12:13

I work in animal rescue and even I don’t think bringing 100 afghan street dogs into the U.K. is a good idea.

ChickpeaCrunch · 25/08/2021 12:14

@ArcherDog

I work in animal rescue and even I don’t think bringing 100 afghan street dogs into the U.K. is a good idea.
Where will they go?
Petardos · 25/08/2021 12:14

Well I am glad for the dogs and cats. Poor things in the middle of this nightmare. I do agree they have as much rights as humans to be saved. Hope they survive flying in cargo.

failedbyGP · 25/08/2021 12:14

What is this guy playing at

What is Ben Wallace playing at, more accurately.

Just give his self-funded charter plane the right to collect these people (with/without animals, but these animals are worth more than the cars Ben Wallace is giving authorisation for.

Brainwave89 · 25/08/2021 12:15

@FlipFlopsButNoSun

If he gets a slot it will mean a plane full of people lose one

No it won't. Check your facts.

If he gets a slot it means he can offer 100 extra spaces on his plane to those who need a space. He will also not take up spaces on another plane for him and his staff who would otherwise have to be transported on a government funded plane (or likely fave death by the Taliban). Again, freeing up more space for others.

He has sourced the plane. All he needed was a call signal so the damn thing can land and take off. (Which it seems, thank goodness, the government are finally agreeing to)

Angry

No it does not. He will take up a slot which could be scheduled for another plane. A Hercules transport aircraft does not have a hold. It is a cavernous space in which 600 people can fit although not comfortably. How do you think these animals are going to be marshalled through the crowd? Are we seriously expecting troops to support this process? The whole plan is ill conceived and cannot be achieved without placing troops and other Afghans at greater risk.
deliciouschilli · 25/08/2021 12:18

He's taking up a landing slot with his small private jet that could have been taken by a larger plane that could be filled with refugees who are dying at the gates.

Peacrock · 25/08/2021 12:18

@PicsInRed

The workers would be treated as collaborators and shot, so they needed to be evacuated.

Farthing wanted to put animals in unused space in the freight hold where humans cannot be and are not put. Wasted space.

The UK literally evacuated a fucking car the other day, shown just before takeoff by a reporter on live television, that car in the same space occupied by actual humans, and which could theoretically have taken more actual humans. A fucking car.

Ben Wallace made a tit of himself, recognised his own tithood and rightly reversed the decision.

Do you not see why a car containing comms systems and other military systems might be removed? I guess as an alternative we could spend millions, maybe even billions developing new ones and installing them across the fleets but seems pretty counterproductive.

Also I'm not sure what people aren't getting, securing aircraft hasn't been an issue, it's that time is extremely tight and clearing planes for landing is in great demand. Initially he wanted to plane to be ready to go, taking up a slot before they had actually started to make their way to the airport- which could be a long time.

It's a complex situation and not as straightforward as oh cool it's an extra plane awesome. Yes he has fought for his staff once he sent his wife to safety and that should be commended, but the situation isn't one where he is taking additional people; it's one where due to the time constraints others who have been deemed at greater risk will be left behind. It is interesting though that the charities raising awareness for women who directly assisted the military who are now at great risk haven't received anywhere near as much support as some animals.

PicsInRed · 25/08/2021 12:18

I work in animal rescue and even I don’t think bringing 100 afghan street dogs into the U.K. is a good idea.

Where will they go?

They'll form an Afghan street dog gang, roaming dramatically, like a woof woof westside story.

Quarantine, they'll go to quarantine

yossell · 25/08/2021 12:20

@TheGenealogist

Would make an amazing film

I'm sure he has an agent already on the case. With someone earnest and worthy like Eddie Redmayne lined up to play brave, selfless Pen, the hero.

Mask slipping there OP
jasjas1973 · 25/08/2021 12:20

@Brainwave89

Even if the plane is paid for, to accommodate it requires air traffic schedule and work by UK and American security staff to get him into the airport. All to the potential detriment of others. I will get flamed for this, but animals are not a priority, people are and working in an animal sanctuary should not give you a ticket out of Kabul ahead of staff who have worked with the British army and who will now be in imminent danger of torture and death.
...whose fault is that? Pen Farthings or Boris Johnsons? who knew the withdrawal was happening back in April but was too busy with soft focus photo shoots in Cornwall.

Afghani's who worked with the british, in any capacity, are in danger from the taliban inc animal charity workers.

TheAstronaut · 25/08/2021 12:20

I didn’t know you were on mumsnet Ben Wallace. Wink
So glad Boris has put that vile little man in his place overnight and Nowzad will be getting all their people and animals here very soon.

BittaOrange · 25/08/2021 12:20

@Amirite

I do disagree with you here, he has funded the plane privately and animals being held in the hold will not impact the number of human beings he can take with him. He’s stuck his neck out for others and included living creatures in his efforts to be saved. I can only see this as a good thing?
This.
TheAstronaut · 25/08/2021 12:20

Just need to get some of the smaller charities out now.

BittaOrange · 25/08/2021 12:21

I am shocked that a ‘vehicle’ was airlifted out, what the hell was all that about?

Iamclaracowbell · 25/08/2021 12:22

Obviously there are thousands of other Afghans waiting to get out. But if you, as a British person, had a voice to advocate for the 70 or so Afghan people and 200 animals you personally know, love and feel responsible for, and get them out safely, are you telling me you wouldn't use it? Like others I have followed this from the beginning, and I can only admire his bravery in staying there to make sure that they all get out - even with the right approvals / paperwork the safety of his people would have been in no way assured if he had left.

Charlotte from Kabul Small Animal Rescue posted a video yesterday saying that the Taliban had told her to go to the airport and let her staff follow later - she was very clear that she wasn't willing to do that as she knew what their fate would be if she left first.

Many of the animals are the pets of ex-servicemen and women who are already in the UK waiting for them to arrive, they aren't just 'random animals'. I saw a post from such an ex-serviceman this morning about how his Nowzad rescue has been a lifesaver for him given the PTSD and depression he suffers as a result of his service.

Whether you agree with Pen's dedication to getting his animals out or not, personally I can only admire a man who is fighting for what he believes in and will not leave his people or animals behind. Not many people would have the balls or the fight to do what he's doing. He can't save all the Afghans who need to get out, but he can save the ones he knows, and hopefully some others too with the extra seats on his plane. Blame the US for the 31 August deadline, not a man who is doing what he can to save the people and animals he loves.

I'm praying for the moment I see the news of them all arriving safely in the UK.

DancesWithTortoises · 25/08/2021 12:22

My heart breaks at the thought of the desperate women and children in that crowd seeing animals loaded onto a plane.

I like animals but people matter more.

The man is a bully.

DishingOutDone · 25/08/2021 12:22

What a thoughtful and insightful post OP.

PicsInRed · 25/08/2021 12:23

Do you not see why a car containing comms systems and other military systems might be removed?

Equipment left behind would normally be destroyed.

I guess as an alternative we could spend millions, maybe even billions developing new ones and installing them across the fleets but seems pretty counterproductive.

Yes, normally evacuations of humans would take precedence. It's one vehicle of many, our entire military strategy doesn't pivot on this one car being destroyed or taken with, but if it does then God help us.

DishingOutDone · 25/08/2021 12:23

Oh no sorry I meant what a spiteful and pointless post OP. But I can see you are enjoying the sneering so crack on.

TheAstronaut · 25/08/2021 12:23

I work in animal rescue and even I don’t think bringing 100 afghan street dogs into the U.K. is a good idea.

You must be one of the only ones then. I work with animal rescues, I don’t know anyone that hadn’t tried to help. Look on twitter, so much support from so many rescues all over the UK.

BackInBlackAgain · 25/08/2021 12:23

Totally non goady question, just interested. Why didnt his wife take the animals/staff with her to Norway? I believe the plane was virtually empty so they would have all been able to go on that one.

TheAstronaut · 25/08/2021 12:24

Oh no sorry I meant what a spiteful and pointless post OP. But I can see you are enjoying the sneering so crack on.

Haters gonna hate and all that. OP is irrelevant anyway as this is happening.