Politics
Dozens of hero service dogs facing slaughter after being abandoned to the mercy of Taliban as US troops flee Afghanistan
SCORES of hero service dogs are facing being tortured and slaughtered at the hands of the Taliban after being abandoned by US troops during the hurried withdrawal from Afghanistan.
The specially-trained pooches have been left at the terror group’s mercy after the final US jet left Kabul last night, with the innocent animals now facing a “death sentence”.
Avalon.redService dogs have been abandoned in Afghanistan following the withdrawal of US troops[/caption]
GettyThe animals now face being slaughtered by the Taliban[/caption]
After 20 years of conflict, the US officially ended its war in Afghanistan prompting Taliban fighters to celebrate.
But dozens of service dogs have been left behind, as well as a number of US citizens and billions of pounds worth of military equipment.
The abandonment has been slammed by animal welfare charity American Humane, which has branded the situation “senseless”.
Robin R. Ganzert, the organisation’s CEO said in a statement: “I am devastated by reports that the American government is pulling out of Kabul and leaving behind brave US military contract working dogs to be tortured and killed at the hand of our enemies.
“These brave dogs do the same dangerous, lifesaving work as our military working dogs, and deserved a far better fate than the one to which they have been condemned.
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“This senseless fate is made all the more tragic, as American Humane stands ready to not only help transport these contract K-9 soldiers to US soil but also to provide for their lifetime medical care.”
American Humane has worked with the military for more than 100 years to rescue military animals, beginning its programme during World War 1.
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Ganzert demanded for the animals to be brought back on evacuation flights and he called on Congress to classify contract working dogs on the same level as military working ones.
“As the country’s first national humane organization and largest certifier of animal welfare in the world, it sickens us to sit idly by and watch these brave dogs who valiantly served our country be put to death or worse,” she added.
“In order to prevent this tragedy from occurring, these K-9’s should be loaded into whatever cargo space remains and flown to safety. Irrespective of the outcome, this gross oversight of justice must be stopped from happening again, as it did in Vietnam too.
“To that end, we call on Congress to take action to classify contract working dogs on the same level as military working dogs. Failure to do anything less, is a failure of humanity and a condemnation of us all.”
It comes after Pen Farthing landed safely in London Heathrow on Sunday with his 173 dogs and cats.
But the Nowzad Dogs founder, 52, has said he feels “no joy just guilt” after fleeing Afghanistan without his staff as he revealed the Taliban stabbed one of his dogs.
Nearly 200 animals he was travelling with from Kabul will now have to quarantine under UK law – although some could be put down if they are found to have any diseases.
