8 Mar 2022
Former marine wants to create a staging post in Poland for supplies that can be used to support and resupply animal shelters in war-torn Ukraine once humanitarian corridors open up.
Joshua Silverwood
Job Title
Pen Farthing.
A UK charity led by a former marine has announced plans to set up a staging post in Poland to help get supplies to animal shelters across Ukraine.
Previously dedicated to caring for animals at its shelter in Afghanistan, Nowzad’s founder Paul “Pen” Farthing announced on social media that the group will be organising efforts to support and resupply animal shelters in Ukraine following the Russian invasion.
Taking to social media, Mr Farthing said Nowzad intended to create a staging post in eastern Poland, where supplies and equipment would be collected before onward distribution in Ukraine once a humanitarian corridor becomes available.
Mr Farthing said: “Just like you, the team here at Nowzad have watched in horror at the events unfolding in Ukraine. We have no words to describe the brutality and needless suffering inflicted upon both the Ukrainian people and its animals.
“As Nowzad does not own or manage kennelling facilities in the UK or US, we will not be rescuing dogs and cats with the intention of bringing them to be re-homed in the west. With our own evacuation of Afghanistan only seven months ago, we are still busy rehoming dogs that were part of the Operation Ark rescue effort.
“We are extremely proud to see the rescue community has come together to support Ukrainians who are fleeing the country with their pets, and we commend those rescue groups for their efforts to provide relief and assistance at the border crossings.”
Mr Farthing added: “Your financial support will be used to give vital support to selected rescue shelters and organisations that we can reach once this horrific war has ended. With your generous support we will look to rebuild their destroyed or damaged shelters, and assist them with further programmes.”
In a video posted to Facebook, Mr Farthing elaborated that the resources gathered would be stockpiled at the staging point in Poland, with a view to getting them out to animal rescue staff in Ukraine.
These supplies would be distributed to designated shelters and rescue groups through humanitarian aid corridors once those become available to travel.
Mr Farthing said: “The plan is to support these shelters, these rescues, these individuals in Ukraine as much as we possibly can, with the supplies they are going to need once the humanitarian corridors open up.
“So what we are going to work on over the next few weeks is to get these supplies over to the facility we have set up over in eastern Poland. We are going to build up a staging area and, as and when, move those supplies over to Ukraine.
“It will be going to selected rescues and shelters that we have found who desperately need our help. That will be things like medical supplies, food, maybe even building supplies to repair some of the damage caused by this conflict.”
The team is calling on people who may be interested in helping move supplies across Europe to the staging post to email [email protected]
Further information about the project is available online or to donate to Nowzad, visit its donation page.
