Afghan shelter reunites dogs and cats of war with soldiers back home

Louise Hastie runs the Nowzad Animal Shelter in Kabul, which cares for stray dogs and cats and reunites them with soldiers in their home countries.

By Kiko Itasaka, NBC News Producer

KABUL – War-torn Afghanistan is not know for its kind treatment toward dogs. From the popularity of dog fights, to grinding poverty, care of man's best friend has not been a top priority.
One former British soldier has taken on the battle to protect stray dogs and cats in her adopted country.
Louise Hastie and a team of Afghan nationals, operates the only official animal shelter in the country.
“We don’t turn any animal in need away,” said Hastie, who runs the Nowzad Animal Shelter in Kabul. Nowzad is named after the small town in Helmand where the first dog was adopted in 2007.

Read More and Watch Video  Here

**********************************************************

Mirror News

• By Marie Sharp

Animal Hero Awards 2013: Former Royal Marine nominated after rescuing 500 dogs in Afghanistan

26 Sep 2013 00:00

Sergeant Pen Farthing is up for a Lifetime Achievement Award in the Daily Mirror and RSPCA awards after bringing the strays out of the war zone

Saviour: Pen with Nowzad, whose ears were cut off

A former Royal Marine who set up Afghanistan’s first official animal rescue centre has been nominated for a Lifetime Achievement Award in the Daily Mirror and RSPCA Animal Hero Awards.
Responsible for bringing more than 500 strays out of the war zone, Sergeant Pen Farthing first became aware of the animal crisis while stationed in the country six years ago.
After breaking up a dogfight, a common ‘sport’ in the local villages, he was befriended by an injured dog, who followed him back to his compound.
Naming him after the nearby village, Nowzad became a firm companion to 43-year-old Pen and his fellow marines in 42 Commando.

Man's best friend: Nowzad and Pen

And as he was joined by other strays seeking food and shelter, Pen realised they would need somewhere to go after the troops had left.
Pen founded the charity Nowzad, and funds were raised to start redeploying the soldiers’ dogs and cats.
Now the charity has built the first official home for strays in the country, near Kabul, with housing for more than 100 dogs and a cattery.
They have set up a clinic as well as training local vets, educating local people and neutering animals.

Read More Here

***********************************************************

Related articles

• Afghan vets reunited in NY with 8 battlefield dogs
• Meet Golum, a stray kitten found in Afghanistan