NOWZAD - Rescuing dogs from war torn Afghanistan

littlelab

NOWZAD website

In Southern Afghanistan, where desert meets mountains, lies the small war torn town of Now Zad. Here during late 2006 a group of Royal Marines attempted to look after several stray dogs that had been abandoned by their owners. The choice of leaving them to fend for themselves was not an option, the dogs were scared, lonely and in a poor state of health. The dogs became the Marines' companions for the 3 months they spent in the small town facing the daily threat of attack.

The dogs became known as "Nowzad", "Jena", "RPG", "AK", "Tali", "Dushka" and "Patches". An Afghan dog's life is not one of comfort at the best of times; most of the day is spent hunting for scraps of food or hiding from the hot desert sun during the summer and the freezing cold of an Afghan winter night.

There is no pampered pet status in Afghanistan. When their tour of duty in Afghanistan was over, the Marines couldn't leave the dogs behind.

With fantastic support from fellow animal lovers the world over, "Jena", "Nowzad", "Tali" were given new homes in the USA and UK.

But the supporters were not going to stop there and the Nowzad Dogs charity was formed, Registered Charity Number 1119185.

The Nowzad Dogs have a special meaning for all us - they represent the dogs and animals of the world that have no voice and no hope.

We know that we cannot bring all the stray dogs of Afghanistan back to the UK but we can help support those soldiers who find themselves trying to look after the Afghan strays that seem to have no hope and by further funding the vital work of the Afghan rescue by helping them with their educational programme for children, free neutering programme for stray dogs and cats bought into the rescue and to help with the further welfare and local re-homing of rescued animals. We also support the Mayhew Animal Homes' training programme for vets from developing countries who are working to help the animals in their local communities.

We have started small but with your help we can only get bigger! Nobody involved with "Nowzad Dogs" is paid for their time - all the money you donate goes directly towards helping the dogs (and cats) in need while raising awareness of the problems that homeless dogs, wherever they are in the world, can and do face. Please click here to see how you can donate and help us.

Every little we do helps, because we are not just walking away and we hope you won't too.

Mauf · Posted: Sat Oct 11, 2008 11:39 am Post subject:

Natalie I read about a soldier who adopted a dog called Nowzad and another dog from Afghanistan a while back in one of the doggie mags. They were up for an award but they didn't win. Its good to see there's a charity formed now. It must be an almost impossible task for the volunteers with so much suffering going on around them. It really makes you count your blessings doesn't it.

_Nikki_ · Posted: Sat Oct 11, 2008 11:41 am Post subject:

I have heard alot about soldiers taking in strays and the fantastic efforts put in to looking after them and trying to get them out of the country.

Nowzad sounds like a fantastic charity - I will be donating Very Happy

littlelab · Posted: Mon Oct 20, 2008 8:05 am Post subject:

RASaving Private Ratchet is a SUCCESS!!!!

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

October 19 Washington, DC - SPCA International (www.spca.com) is proud to announce that Ratchet is on his way home from Iraq after 2 previously thwarted rescue attempts. Today, the old saying is proven true, "the third time's a charm."

Operation Baghdad Pups program manager, Terri Crisp, and Ratchet met at the Baghdad airport tonight and boarded a plane bound for the U.S. After SPCA International received military clearance on Wednesday, October 15, for Ratchet's travel, the organization set this final rescue plan into action. Last week, the world got behind Ratchet and Spc. Beberg's plight; an online petition site collected over 65,000 signatures pleading for Ratchet's release.

Crisp and Ratchet are scheduled to arrive at Dulles International Airport in Washington, DC on Monday afternoon. Ratchet will be cleared by the Center for Disease Control and given a thorough medical evaluation by a local Virginia veterinarian. As long as Ratchet receives a clean bill of health, he will fly to his final destinations, Minneapolis, MN, on Wednesday.

Northwest Airlines, a Minnesota base company, generously donated Ratchet and Crisp's flights from Kuwait to Minneapolis, MN.
TCHET is a SUCCESS