Some of the animals will be reunited with their owners while others will be put up for adoption
Hundreds of animals stranded in Afghanistan arrived in Vancouver on Tuesday night, after more than six months of rescue efforts by the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA).
A total of 158 dogs and 146 cats touched down at Vancouver International Airport (YVR) aboard a specially converted Russian Ilyushin 76-TD aircraft after stops in Turkey and Iceland.
SPCA International said partners in Kabul reached out to them regarding the pets when U.S. forces withdrew from Afghanistan.
The groups hoped to evacuate the animals to North America at the time of the withdrawal, but the volatile situation combined with logistical issues resulted in the delay.
“These animals have been on the plane for quite some time,” Lori Kalef, director of programs for SPCA International, said prior their arrival. “We had to reroute at the last minute due to the conflict going on in Russia.”
From YVR, the animals will be transferred to a specially constructed 1,600-square metre facility.
Kalef said about 66 of the animals will be reunited with their owners, while another two dozen will stay with the SPCA until their owners are able to retrieve them.
The others will be put up for adoption across North America.
Anyone interested in adopting one of the animals can visit the SPCA International website. Applications will be handled by SPCA International and the B.C.-based RainCoast Dog Rescue Society.
Treacherous rescue mission
In a statement, the SPCA said numerous pets were left behind in shelters when their owners fled the country following the Taliban takeover.
A local charity, Kabul Small Animal Rescue, had saved more than 70 dogs from Kabul International Airport and rescued dozens of other animals abandoned by owners when they were forced to flee.
I Wanted to Teach My Husband a Lesson for Cheating on Me, but Life Punished Me Instead
Bethany’s perfect life shatters when she discovers a love note hidden in her husband’s jacket, hinting at his infidelity. Devastated and consumed by betrayal, she spirals into a quest for revenge that may destroy the very family she cherishes.
My name is Bethany, and I had everything a woman could ask for: a devoted husband, Noah, and two wonderful kids, Darcy and Jake. Every morning, I’d wake up feeling blessed, thinking, “This is it. I’ve made it.”
Until one mistake destroyed everything.
It was a Friday afternoon, and I was doing one of those deep cleans where you end up finding all sorts of forgotten treasures and junk. I was sorting through Noah’s jackets, wondering how one man could need so many, when I felt something crinkle in the pocket.
Curious, I pulled out a folded piece of paper, thinking it was an old receipt or a shopping list.
I unfolded the note, and my heart stopped. The words blurred as my mind tried to make sense of them.
“I will never forget Friday night. You were the best! I love you! I hope you will still divorce her and we will have the children we dream of!”
My hands shook. My first thought was denial. No, this couldn’t be true. Noah had said he was working late that Friday. He even brought home a project he was supposedly working on.
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