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You will need plenty of tissues for this post and it’s a reminder that, even in the theatre of war, there is room for compassion.
Southern Afghanistan is Taliban country and if you want some idea of how the Taliban treat dogs, just remember what they do to women and girls. Suffice it to say that the Taliban version of dog care involves fighting, mutilation, extreme cruelty and abandonment. Dog-fighting in Afghanistan may be a pre-Taliban custom but they have claimed it for their own. It has nothing to do with religion and is not sanctioned by Islam, which - as explained by vet, Dr. Ayoub M. Banderker - forbids participation in any blood “sport,” like dog fighting and trophy hunting’. (See http://www.islamicconcern.com/dogs.asp)
Lisa’s husband Sgt ‘Penny’ Farthing – now thankfully back in the UK- says he just ‘couldn’t walk away’ from those dogs. And he didn’t.
The story also featured on this summer’s BBC programme Animal Rescue. Go to this link: http://www.bbc.co.uk/scoopcps/animalres/news/2007/08/01/47616.shtml and click on ‘Marine rescue in Afghanistan’; there’s some great footage of the rescue itself and of Penny being interviewed by Selina Scott.
And we shouldn’t forget the Mayhew Home:
http://www.mayhewanimalhome.org/whatwedo/international/nowzad/index.html which provided much needed local contacts and funding to Penny and the team in their efforts to rescue the dogs.
Penny is now on a bit of a roll and, not content with setting up the whole thing, this September he is going to attempt to scale an unclimbed 6000m peak in the unexplored region of Tien Shan in Kyrgyzstan - he aims to hold the Nowzad Dogs logo high on the summit! Sponsorship is needed so if you want to help (how could you not?), just go to http://www.nowzaddogs.co.uk/newsupdatesfornowzaddogsvii.htm
Anyway, Lisa, it was a pleasure to meet you and, as promised, I’ve given the Nowzad dogs a big mention. Good luck to Penny in Kyrgyzstan and the sponsorship money is on its way.
(By the way, this part of the story does come with a happy ending - and it will be even happier by Christmas - but I'll leave you to find out just what's happening then . . . )
