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KABUL (Afghanistan) —
Two refugee dogs made it out of Afghanistan
this month, one under the coat of an American journalist, and the other in an Antonov
AN-124 transport aircraft for Britain's 16 Air Assault
Brigade. In both cases, it took nothing short of a miracle
to ensure that the two doomed puppies would live to see doghood.
As news reaches the outside world telling
of the hardships endured by the Afghan people, it also becomes evident that
the animals of the land are in a tight spot. A dog rescue is
something you never hear about ...well, almost never.
A master of disguise, "Tiger"
seamlessly blends in with a floral arrangement. Well, it worked,
anyway; he managed to sneak himself out of one of the worst dog places on
earth.
(Photo: Brian Smith / Daily Telegraph)
A scruffy, white puppy nicknamed
"Tiger" was eager to enlist at the 16th
(Air Assault) Brigade Headquarters and Signal Squadron (216) after
two soldiers offered the stray a few gestures of kindness.
Regimental Quartermaster Sergeant Graeme Smith and his deputy, Sergeant
Mick Hart, found the homeless pup at an old wine factory on the outskirts
of Kabul where they had set up camp several months ago.
RQMS Smith, 36, from Irvine, Ayrshire
told the Daily
Telegraph, "Mick and I just came across this little
puppy. He was scrawny, undernourished and scared stiff of anyone he
saw. So we fed him, and he started tagging along."
The part-Collie, part-Labrador, part-??? dog insisted on sleeping with the soldiers (adding a whole
new meaning to the term "pup tent"). He quickly became very popular at the camp where he experienced no
shortage of attention—or
food.
"We had to control his feeding,
because everyone was sharing their lunch with him, and he was getting
fat," said Major Alex Dick. |
Jamie Darling, presenter of BBC
television's Animal Hospital, was in Kabul checking out zoo animals when
the little dog's story caught his attention. He found that the
soldiers were very concerned over what would become of the Afghan stray
after they had left.
Dr. Darling reports: "They made me
promise at gunpoint that I'd find a home for the animal if they could get
him to Britain."
Last Thursday after several months of
papering, courtesy of the ISAF (International Security Assistance Force),
Tiger managed to find a seat on an Antonov transport bound for Great
Britain. The 175,000kg (385,800lb) strategic military freighter,
designed to carry oversized cargo, had probably never
transported a payload as fuzzy as this one.
A Huge Antonov transport aircraft
lands
at Kabul International Airport bringing supplies and humanitarian
aid. No one seemed to mind a 5-pound stowaway on the ride back home.
(Photo: UK
Ministry of Defence Photo Gallery)
After landing in the UK, Tiger was taken
to the Par Air kennels at Stanway, near Colchester, where he is learning
to adapt to his new environment while efforts are being made to find him a
permanent home in the country.
In the meantime, kennel attendants will
attempt to break Tiger of some unusual habits and teach him how to
blend into British society.
Says kennel owner Jean Parrish: "I
understand he loves to roll in the mud, so he needs a thorough groom and a
bath."
§§§
Proceed to your next
assignment,
MISSION: IMPOOCHIBLE, Part II (Reporter Smuggles 'Dog Fight Bait' Puppy out of Afghanistan)
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