An Olney, Maryland, woman is adopting a dog from Afghanistan and helping an organization raise funds to get other animals from that country to their forever homes in the U.S.
Rachel Mack said her family has always had dogs. As she and her husband were preparing to buy their first home together, they decided to get a dog together.
They turned to Kabul Small Animal Rescue — the only veterinary clinic and animal rescue in Afghanistan — to find a furry companion.
Through the rescue, they found Poppy, a stray dog from Afghanistan.
“We’re just so excited, especially since she’s coming from Afghanistan, too. It’ll just be so special that we get to help out the rescue out there,” Mack said.
She said seeing Poppy was a sign.
“I just kept going back to Poppy,” she said. “She was just so cute and so playful and her name was like a flower — and I love flowers.”
Mack said that by rescuing Poppy and making her part of the family, the animal rescue will be able to save more animals.
“We’ll be getting her from Kabul from the animal rescue, and she’ll be flying in with 200 dogs and 100 cats, so 300 animals total, on June 2. So we’re really excited to have her fly in,” Mack said. “The biggest thing right now is just getting all the funds needed to pay the plane and all the fees for all the paperwork, and having the vetting once they get into America.”
Mack said she came to know and work with the organization in the past because of a dog named Fred.
“The first time I heard about the dogs in Afghanistan was actually because of a dog named Fred and his human,” Mack told WTOP. “Craig was a U.S. Marine and he was out in Afghanistan … and they came across this little friendly dog named Fred, and Fred has brought them a lot of joy and actually went out on the missions with them.”
She said Fred and Craig bonded, but Craig had a difficult time getting Fred back to the U.S.
Mack said Fred was eventually reunited with Craig in the U.S. The dog was then able to help Craig work through his PTSD.
“Last time I checked, they were close to $600,000,” Mack said of the fundraising efforts. She said $775,000 is needed by May 24 to pay for the plane and associated fees.
The Kabul Small Animal Rescue is accepting secure donations on its website.
“They’ve said time and time again in their past fundraisers that even just donations as small as $5, $10, $15 is what has been fueling their fundraising success in the past,” Mack said.
There are 25 more dogs eligible for the airlift. Kabul Small Animal Rescue is also looking for volunteers who are able to help transport the animals to their placements across the U.S.
Email Kabul Small Animal Rescue if you’re looking to help.
Get breaking news and daily headlines delivered to your email inbox by signing up here.
© 2024 WTOP. All Rights Reserved. This website is not intended for users located within the European Economic Area.
