EX-ROYAL MARINE PEN FARTHING RISKS LIFE AND LIMB TO RESCUE DOGS IN AFGHANISTAN.

As the besotted owner of Nutty, a 14-year-old sheltie (aka 'the loveliest dog in England'), as well as two small bichon frise rescue dogs, I am a sucker for any heart-rending stories involving man’s best friend, writes Julia Stephenson.

 One Dog at a Time: Saving the Strays of Helmand and its sequel, No Place Like Home: A New beginning for the Dogs of Afghanistan by ex royal marine Pen Farthing, are a must for all dog lovers and anyone who enjoys a good adventure story. I recently tracked Pen down to a windy barn in Surrey where he was giving a talk that brought a lump to the throat. Much to my delight, I pinned him down for a chat soon after. 

In 2008 Pen was serving as a marine in Helmand Province, Afghanistan. One day, when leading a foot patrol, he witnessed a dog fight. Two dogs, bloodied stumps where their tales and ears had been ripped off, were being goaded by jeering locals. Many would have walked away but Pen, a dog lover, risked life and limb to break up the fight. Days later one of the dogs, later christened Nowzad, found his way into Pen’s compound and the two formed an unbreakable bond.

Sensing a kindly presence, 4 more dogs, plus a litter of puppies, made their way into the soldiers’ compound. In his best-selling book, One Dog at a Time, Pen describes falling for each one of these unfortunate but lovely mutts and the struggles he faced trying to care for them in the camp. By now, awakened to the suffering around him there was no going back and, fortunately for the dogs in Afghanistan, Pen vowed to do all he could to make their lives better.

Many soldiers form a bond with stray dogs out here. “Living so close to death you value life all the more”, explains Pen, “people assume soldiers are brutal and aggressive, but witnessing the plight of these vulnerable dogs, brings out another side to them”.

Pen’s writing is vivid and pacy. Many of the stories remain etched in my mind long after reading the book. In particular, the rescue of a terrified bitch, tied up by locals who wanted her to be randomly impregnated by a passing stray (and then use her pups for dog fights). Another time Pen comes across a pain-wracked dog, tied up with wire. The dog is too frightened to let Pen near him, so he throws him a sausage laced with a tranquilliser, before cutting the tether and freeing him.

When it is time to return home, Pen cannot face leaving Nowzad and the other dogs to a miserable fate, and so begins the nail-biting business of begging locals to transport them to a rescue shelter in the north of the country. The Taliban hate dogs, they will flog anyone seen with one, so locals taking part in this daring rescue risked their lives.

During transit, the dogs had to have their legs bound with wire, which is the custom, and Pen could only watch helpless as his trusting dogs set off on their long journey. Pen writes, “It hurt to see the total confusion in their eyes as I closed the car door”. After an agonising wait he discovers 4 dogs have made it but 2 haven’t. “The nightmare image of them abandoned on the side of the road still tied up filled my head”’

I cringed at the suffering dogs experience here, yet ultimately it is not a sob fest because instead of wringing his hands and walking away, Pen is, thank God, doing something about it.

Invalided out of the royal marines 2 years later with a bad back, he turned his attention full time to setting up Nowzad Dogs charity, and writing his second book, No Place Like Home, which follows the ups and downs of life in Civvy Street and the struggle of starting up a charity from nothing. Unable to leave Nowzad the dog behind, he along with another Afghan rescue dog, is now living with Pen in Devon. There is a heart stopping moment in the book when Pen and his wife visit Nowzad in quarantine soon after he has arrived in the UK.

“As rescued dog Nowzad ran towards me, I said: Did you think I would leave you to die in Afghanistan? No chance.”

The books are a testament of what one person can do to make a difference. Along the way Pen gives insights about life as a modern soldier in Afghanistan. Like many people, I was all for our troops pulling out, but according to Pen, if we pull out now the Taliban will regain power and anarchy will prevail. I wish we could hear more opinions from soldiers on the ground rather than politicians!

Like many small charities started by one passionate individual, Nowzad punches above its weight in what it achieves. So many charities are bloated and inefficient, routinely paying their CEO's over 100k a year. Nowzad takes a more can-do approach, eager to hear from volunteers or contributors who might offer anything from their time to their old bras. In these straightened times it’s great to know that money can be made from stuff we might otherwise throw away.

“We’ve had a great response to the bra appeal”, says Pen. “A reprocessing plant takes the wire out of the bra and sells it”.

Indeed the bra appeal has attracted a lively response on Nowzad’s Facebook page, with many users posting pictures of their mutts wearing a variety of colourful undergarments. Similarly, please save your old postage stamps, old printer cartridges, scrap metal (old bangers welcome). Details on the Nowzad website. Every little helps.

“It’s comparatively easy to raise funds for sad dogs that need rescuing from Afghanistan”, adds Pen, “but much harder to raise money for the essential business of building and maintaining shelters, dog food and neutering programmes”.

I ask if he was happier as a marine or prefers life now?

“It’s much busier”, admits Pen wearily, “much more stressful. There aren’t enough hours in the day”.

Certainly his life is now a whirlwind of admin, phone calls, fund-raising and endless trips up and down the country giving talks.

“If British dog lovers get behind Nowzad Dogs we can do amazing things” continues Pen. I think of Nutty, enjoying his dog-acupuncture, massages, homeopathic medicine for his stiffening joints and home-cooked snacks, and think how unfair it is that other dogs must endure so much suffering. On a sadder note, Pen’s marriage is one casualty of his frantic schedule.

Isn’t it ironic that actors are feted for pretending to be heroic in films, and yet real life heroes slog away unrewarded. Pen’s work is courageous, unsung andprovides a fantastic antidote to endless stories of spray tanned celebrities and footballers’ love lives. He is a breath of testosterone-fuelled fresh air and a hero for our times. Dog loving Ladies please form an orderly queue, with your cheque books primed, if possible.

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 Nutty, an age-defying 14 years old, now has his own page on Facebook.

`On the Internet nobody knows you’re a dog’ he explains. `It’s really opened up my life and I’ve met some really nice people. I just wish more dogs would take the plunge. They’ve got nothing to lose’.