American Humane,
the first country’s national humane organisation, has condemned the act of the
United States leaving behind military contract dogs in Kabul after the final
evacuation flights left Afghanistan, saying they have been left to die at the
hands of American enemies.

“I am
devastated by reports that the American government is pulling out of Kabul and
leaving behind brave US military contract working dogs to be tortured and
killed at the hand of our enemies,” Dr R Ganzert, president and CEO of American
Humane, said in a statement.

Also Read | Afghan female journalist flees fearing Taliban after historic interviews

“These
brave dogs do the same dangerous, lifesaving work as our military working dogs,
and deserved a far better fate than the one to which they have been condemned,”
he added.

The US
ended its 20-year war in Afghanistan as the last American evacuation flights
flew out of the Hamid Karzai International Airport, shortly before the August 31
deadline it was given by the Taliban.

“I’m here
to announce the completion of our withdrawal from Afghanistan and the end of
the mission to evacuate American citizens, third country nationals and
vulnerable Afghans,” US Central Command Commander Marine Corps General Frank McKenzie
said in a virtual news conference.

While McKenzie
said that “every single US servicemember” had been evacuated from the war-torn country,
Secretary of State Anthony Blinken confirmed some Americans had been left
behind.

Blinken
said that the number of American citizens left is “under 200” and “closer to
100”, adding that the US will continue to work closely with Afghanistan’s neighbours
to secure their departure in the future.

Also Read | Divided UN Security Council presses Taliban to let Afghans exit

Meanwhile,
Ganzert called the fate of the contract military dogs “senseless” and “tragic”,
adding that his organisation is ready to help transport them back to the US and
also provide lifetime medical care.

“As the
country’s first national humane organization and largest certifier of animal
welfare in the world, it sickens us to sit idly by and watch these brave dogs
who valiantly served our country be put to death or worse.In order to prevent
this tragedy from occurring, these K-9’s should be loaded into whatever cargo
space remains and flown to safety,” he said.