Founder Pen Farthing claims he has been ‘cut off’ from the MoD support line.
Nowzad founder and former Royal Marine Paul "Pen" Farthing claims he has been ‘left to fend for himself’ amid growing pressure to evacuate British citizens and eligible Afghans from Kabul by August 31.
Hopes had been raised for the animal charity on Monday (23 August), after Prime Minister Boris Johnson gave his full backing to Operation Ark and secured 68 visas for Nowzad staff members and their families.
But less than 24 hours later, Mr Farthing claims he has been ‘cut off’ from the Ministry of Defence support line by the special advisor to defence secretary, Ben Wallace.
In a Twitter post, Mr Farthing wrote: “22 year Marine left behind lines.. neither my staff or animals will now get out – cheers.”
Dismissing the claim on Sky News on Tuesday (24 August), Mr Wallace said that Pen had been offered a place on an evacuation flight last Friday, and suggested that he leave his staff and animals behind ‘to move forward at a later date’.
“Frankly, I have to prioritise people at the moment over pets,” Mr Wallace said, adding that should a cargo plane arrive, it would "probably sit there" and "block the airfield."
He continued: “There is a confusion and I think I’m afraid some of the campaigners have latched on to the fact they’ve chartered a plane that this somehow is the magic wand.
“The magic wand is where the people can get through Kabul, through the Taliban checkpoints, and then through the 3,000-plus people waiting, some of whom are waiting in front of the queue because they are under real threat, direct threat, right now from Taliban."
Nowzad manages a shelter currently looking after some 140 dogs and more than 40 cats supported by a veterinary team of 25 Afghan nationals - including Afghanistan’s first female veterinary surgeons.
Following the Taliban’s takeover of Afghanistan, Mr Farthing launched an emergency fundraiser entitled Operation Ark to raise £200,000 for a cargo plane to fly as many of its team members and rescue animals to safety.
The charity recently announced that it had ‘raised more than enough’ for the evacuation mission’.
Last night, Mr Farthing Tweeted: “I am staying with my staff and animals. I’ll get them in that airport and I will get my flight in. You picked on the wrong person to back down @BwallaceMP. I served 22 years as a @RoyalMarines. We don’t quit.”
Two independent vets have launched a podcast to help owners strengthen their bond with pets. Dr Maggie Roberts and Dr Vanessa Howie, who have worked in both veterinary practice and major charities, are keen to use their experience to enable people to give pets a better life.
