Operation Ark to evacuate rescue animals and staff from Afghanistan

Operation Ark is set to evacuate rescue animals and staff from Afghanistan. The aim is to rescue Nowzad sanctuary founder Paul “Pen” Farthing and animals that he has been caring for along with his staff. The operation is now called Operation Ark.

The plane is privately funded by a supporter of Operation Ark, but some have spoken out against this, claiming that animals are being prioritised over people. The plane is due to land in Afghanistan on Friday but according to reports Mr Farthing is not being allowed to enter the airport.

Mr Farthing has taken to Twitter in a bid to get the Taliban to allow them to enter the airport. On Twitter he said: “My team & my animals are stuck at airport circle.

“We have a flight waiting. Can you please facilitate safe passage into the airport for our convoy?”

Dominic Dyer is a broadcaster and wildlife campaign who supports Operation Ark.

“We are ready to go, we have a flight plan approved by the secretary of defence’s office… and we’re ready to hit the runway at Kabul Airport on Friday morning to get Pen and his people off,” said Dominic.

“But they need to get into the airport.

“We’re going to have a plane on the runway and no-one to rescue at this rate.”

Speaking of the rescue mission he said this is “probably the most high profile group of Afghan refugees anywhere, now”.

“Now they’re on the side of the street trying to keep the dogs and cats from dying of heat exhaustion,”

“I don’t need to hear from ministers anymore that we have a priority list.

“I don’t want to hear this ‘we’re putting pets before people’ – it’s nonsense.”

Speaking of the controversy over putting animals before people he explained that the animals will be: “in the hold and we’ve got spare capacity in the seating and will take more refugees if we can”.

“This is a Dunkirk-spirit privately paid operation to rescue animals and protect people,”

“It’s touch and go… but we’re going to get them out of there.”

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