Afghan Dogs Left Behind: A Tale Of Loyalty And Abandonment

In the wake of the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan, images of dogs in cages at Kabul airport sparked outrage on social media. The Pentagon denied that these were U.S. military dogs, stating that they belonged to Kabul Small Animal Rescue, an animal welfare group. However, animal welfare groups claimed that some contract working dogs, which did not belong to the U.S. military but may have been contracted by them, were left behind. The fate of these dogs remains uncertain.

The US military's perspective on the abandonment of dogs in Afghanistan

The US military has denied abandoning any dogs in Afghanistan, specifically at Kabul's Hamid Karzai International Airport. They have stated that all military working dogs were evacuated and that the viral images of dogs in crates were animals under the care of Kabul Small Animal Rescue (KSAR).

The Pentagon has said that the US military did not leave any dogs in cages at the airport, and that their priority was evacuating US citizens, vulnerable Afghans, and those on the Special Immigrant Visa program. They did, however, acknowledge that there was confusion caused by social media posts about the non-military evacuation of pets from Kabul.

The viral images of dogs in crates were of approximately 150 dogs under the care of KSAR, which is an animal welfare group that has been tending to animals injured or displaced during the war in Afghanistan. The group was founded by American Charlotte Maxwell-Jones in 2018 and helped US troops bring home cats and dogs they had befriended while deployed.

The US military has said that KSAR brought the dogs to the airport and asked for them to be allowed on military evacuation flights, but they were denied due to customs regulations and the need to prioritise people on the flights. Maxwell-Jones then tried to organise a civilian aircraft to transport the dogs, but the plane never arrived. The dogs were then moved by US soldiers to a compound previously used by the Afghan National Army, where they were released and given food and water.

Despite the US military's denial, animal welfare groups have said that some contract working dogs were left behind at the airport. These dogs were not owned by the US military but may have been contracted by them. It is estimated that there were 50 contract working dogs at the airport, which may have included dogs that belonged to independent defence contractors.

The US military has said that contract working dogs are the responsibility of the contracting company and that they did not abandon any dogs.

Animal welfare groups' perspective on the abandonment of dogs in Afghanistan

Animal welfare groups have expressed outrage at the abandonment of dogs in Afghanistan. They have stated that the U.S. government left dogs in cruel conditions and that these dogs will likely be tortured and killed.

American Humane, an animal welfare group, stated that the "American government is pulling out of Kabul and leaving behind brave U.S. military contract working dogs to be tortured and killed at the hand of our enemies." They based this statement on reports from military personnel and contractors, who indicated that dogs were on site at the airport and that the military denied them access to cargo storage. American Humane called for contract working dogs to be afforded the same rights and privileges as military working dogs.

Another animal welfare group, Kabul Small Animal Rescue (KSAR), has been working to evacuate animals from Afghanistan since 2018. In the lead-up to the U.S. withdrawal, KSAR raised significant funds to evacuate their staff and up to 250 animals. They arranged a chartered plane for this purpose, but it never arrived. The Taliban ordered KSAR founder Charlotte Maxwell-Jones to leave the country, and she was forced to leave the airport grounds, stymieing evacuation efforts. Despite these setbacks, KSAR remains committed to the welfare and safety of the animals in their care.

Other animal welfare groups, such as the Puppy Rescue Mission and the Military Working Dog Team Support Association, have also been involved in evacuation efforts and have expressed concern for the dogs left behind.

It is estimated that at least 50 dogs were left behind at the Kabul airport, including contract working dogs and pets belonging to Americans and Afghans. The Pentagon has denied that any military service dogs were left behind, but animal welfare groups have disputed this claim. The fate of the dogs left behind remains unknown.

The Taliban's stance on pet ownership

Dogs are considered "unclean" by Muslims, and most Sunni and Shia Muslim jurists regard them as ritually corrupt. As a result, while Muslims are permitted to own dogs, they are not allowed to keep them inside their homes. This belief has led to the Taliban banning dog ownership and killing dogs, especially those owned by foreigners. For instance, they killed two dogs belonging to a friend of Mr. Paul 'Pen' Farthing, an ex-marine who runs the Kabul animal rescue organization Nowzad, after he evacuated Kabul.

Despite this, there have been reports of Taliban members keeping pets, and they have also expressed a willingness to care for captured military dogs. For example, in 2014, the Taliban captured a British military dog and stated that they were feeding it kebabs and keeping it warm with blankets. They also considered releasing or trading the dog.

The role of Kabul Small Animal Rescue in evacuating dogs from Afghanistan

Kabul Small Animal Rescue (KSAR) is a veterinary clinic and animal shelter in Afghanistan that provides routine care for owned animals and medical care and shelter to injured and orphaned street animals. The organisation is licensed in Afghanistan and registered as a 501(c)3 charitable organisation in the US.

In August 2021, as the Taliban took control of Afghanistan, Kabul Small Animal Rescue was racing to airlift more than 200 dogs and cats, along with its staff and their families, out of the country before the withdrawal of foreign troops at the end of the month. The group needed to raise at least $1.5 million for a cargo plane, and although they had raised over $700,000, they faced skyrocketing prices for flights, with a cargo plane to Jordan costing $800,000.

The rescue organisation was part of a mass exodus from Afghanistan, with thousands rushing to Kabul airport in an attempt to flee. Many were forced to leave their pets behind as evacuation flights did not allow animals. Kabul Small Animal Rescue took in animals from owners who were evacuating or had already left the country, as well as from other local rescue groups and defence contractors.

The founder of Kabul Small Animal Rescue, Charlotte Maxwell-Jones, negotiated with the Taliban to allow the clinic to remain open until they evacuated. She also secured permission to evacuate the animals, and over 200 dogs and cats were moved to the airport, the only place still under American control in Kabul.

However, the evacuation efforts faced significant challenges. The group needed travel crates and food for the animals, as well as the proper permits and visas to travel and land with animals in another country. They also struggled to find a third country that would allow a plane carrying animals to land so that Afghan staff could be vetted before entering the US.

Despite these challenges, Kabul Small Animal Rescue successfully evacuated 286 rescue animals on a chartered flight to Canada in January 2022. The flight was funded entirely by personal donations from supporters around the world. The animals were welcomed by a team of rescue organisations and volunteers in Vancouver, who helped arrange adoptions and transport for the evacuated animals.

Kabul Small Animal Rescue continues its work to rescue, rehabilitate, and rehome animals in Afghanistan, providing a home-like environment for the animals in their care. They offer adoption services both within Afghanistan and abroad and are committed to advancing the safety and well-being of animals.

The US government's priority during the evacuation from Afghanistan

The Biden administration oversaw the evacuation of over 120,000 people from Afghanistan, including about 6,000 Americans, in what the White House called a major logistical feat. The Defense Department called it the largest airlift in US history.

The US government continued to evacuate people from Afghanistan after the withdrawal of US troops. Between August 31, 2021, and December 2021, the US government facilitated the departure of 479 American citizens and their immediate families, 450 Lawful Permanent Residents and their immediate families, and 256 SIV holders with 1003 of their immediate family members.

The US government also facilitated the resettlement of Afghan refugees, evacuees, and parolees. Nearly 75,000 Afghans have been evacuated to the US, including around 150 recent arrivals in Maine. The US government has waived immigrant application fees for Afghan evacuees and provided initial relocation support services.

The US government has also provided resources for US citizens and Afghans seeking to evacuate Afghanistan, including emergency contact information, security updates, and refugee resources.

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