Pen Farthing, who served in Afghanistan for the British Army, has been at the center of a political tug of war with the UK government of late. Visas for 68 people, including the staff of the charity and their immediate family members, were granted on 23 August and safe passage from Kabul was available to them at this point had they wished it but they chose not to leave. The animals (173 dogs and cats) were allowed to be evacuated on 25 August as well. They were however forced to leave without entering the airport on 26 August, since the United States government had modified the rules for getting inside the compound shortly before they arrived there. Farthing later stated that five cats had died during the journey, and he believed one dog was stabbed by the Taliban.
Boris Johnson has been accused of lying to the public after new evidence emerged suggesting he personally authorized the controversial evacuation of 173 dogs and cats from Afghanistan. The prime minister was accused of “stumbling from one scandal to the next” after an internal government email contradicted his claims that he hadn’t intervened to prioritize the animal airlift last August. In an email to a Foreign Office’s team managing part of the evacuation, an official, whose name is redacted, says that the animal charity Nowzad has “received a lot of publicity” and that “the PM has just authorized their staff and animals to be evacuated”. Supporters raised hundreds of thousands of pounds to charter a flight to evacuate them but former marine, Mr. Farthing, then accused the Foreign Office of blocking the evacuation flight. Eventually, Mr. Farthing and his animals left Afghanistan on 28 August, two days before the final British evacuation flight as part of Operation Pitting. Some of his staff were not allowed into the airport by the Taliban, despite being granted British visas but made it out through Pakistan. They landed at the Heathrow Airport in London on 29 August. The animals were later sent to quarantine kennels. Mr. Farthing was also accused of threatening Defence Secretary Ben Wallace’s special adviser, with a leaked voicemail accusing him of blocking the flight and warning he would “destroy” him if he did not approve the flight immediately. The charity head apologized and said he did that “out of frustration” but denied the other claims, saying his charter flight did not need troops, was paid for privately, and was given the go-ahead by the government.
Source: @instagram.com/penfarthing
As part of an ongoing inquiry into the Afghanistan evacuation, the Foreign Affairs Select Committee released relevant documents at the end of January 2022. This included an email to the Foreign Office evacuation team from an official saying Nowzad had “received a lot of publicity” and “the PM has just authorized their staff and animals to be evacuated”. In December 2021, Mr. Johnson said it was “complete nonsense” he had intervened. One of the newly released documents, from Mr. Raphael to the committee, said a colleague told the team “we are doing the dogs” and the PM had issued this instruction in an emergency COBRA meeting or National Security Council meeting. He also told the committee “several” colleagues messaged on Teams saying the PM had instructed them to “call forward Nowzad’s staff for evacuation”.
Source: @thesun
Who is Pen Farthing?
Pen Farthing (born 1969) is a British former Royal Marines commando and founder of the Nowzad Dogs charity. He served in Afghanistan with K Coy, 42 Commando Royal Marines in the town of Nowzad during Operation Herrick 5. After serving in the British military, he founded an animal welfare charity called “Nowzad”. A former sergeant in the Marines, he rescued a dog from the Afghan town of Nawzad which he later named the dog after. He founded a non-profit that reunites soldiers at home with stray dogs and cats they took in during combat. He has been named the 2014 CNN Hero of the Year. “There is no stronger bond between man and dog that formed during the war”, he said. At the age of 18, Farthing received the Duke of Edinburgh Award Gold Award, which was presented by HRH Prince Philip at Buckingham Palace. He has authored books including “No Place Like Home: A New Beginning with the Dogs of Afghanistan” (2010), “One Dog at a Time: Saving the Strays of Helmand – An Inspiring True Story” (2009), and “Wylie: The Brave Street Dog Who Never Gave Up” (2014).
Source: @instagram.com/penfarthing
Pen Farthing Wife and Children
Pen Farthing is a married man. He tied a knot to his beautiful wife, Kaisa Markhus. They got married at a private wedding ceremony. Kaisa Markhus is a Norwegian national who is now stationed in Afghanistan and she was working as the country director for Ascend Athletics, which helped Afghan girls to take part in sports competitions. She is now concerned for hundreds of girls and women she worked with back in the Taliban-infested country after successfully reaching Norwegian land. The duo does not have any children as of now. His sexual orientation is straight. Farthing and Markhus, both are supportive of each other.
Source: @instagram.com/penfarthing
Where did he attend his High School and University?
Pen Farthing went to The Harwich School in 1981. He has finished secondary school yet the information about his further higher studies is yet to be provided to the media. By looking at his career he must have completed a course or trained in the military field.
Where is Pen Farthing Nowzad Dogs Charity?
Nowzad Dogs charity is a British-based animal welfare charity which was founded in 2007 by Pen Farthing, a former Royal Marines commando, after rescuing a dog he called Nowzad whilst serving in the town of Nawzad in Afghanistan. Fifteen years ago, he set up the animal shelter Nowzad in Afghanistan, to care for animals suffering the fallout from the war. Nowzad says its aim is “To relieve the suffering of animals in Afghanistan; including companion animals, working equines, stray and abandoned dogs and cats and all other animals in need of care and attention, and to provide and maintain rescue, rehabilitation, and education facilities.” The charity reunites servicemen with the dogs and cats who befriended them on service following the soldier’s return home. He was nominated for the Lifetime Achievement award at the Daily Mirror and RSPCA Animal Hero Awards in 2013, for his work with the Nowzad charity.
Source: @instagram.com/penfarthing
Where are Pen Farthing rescued animals now?
In March 2007, Pen Farthing became the founder of Nowzad Dogs. He rescues animals to be adopted by members of the public once they are bought to the UK. Farthing says they built the official first animal rescue center in Afghanistan and has reunited many ex service-people with animals they spent time with on deployment. The charity claims to have saved over 1,700 animals from cruelty. Recently, Farthing had successfully chartered a plane for $500,000 to fly animals and employees to Britain but claimed Defence Secretary Ben Wallace had blocked it from touching down in Kabul. Wallace said: “If he does not have his animals with him he and his staff can board an RAF flight.” However, Farthing has had no intention of leaving any of his 69 staff or animals behind having already had put to sleep 17 dogs and released 25 back onto the streets. Public pressure on the government looks to have worked, as Plymouth-born Farthing has recently been given the green light to return home with workers and animals. Most of the animals are also still in quarantine due to paperwork or because their owners have not been able to collect them yet, but some have been rehomed in Britain in recent weeks. A branch of Nowzad still remains in Kabul but now solely operates as a donkey rescue center.
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