Following criticism that the Biden administration allegedly left U.S. Military contract dogs in Afghanistan during its disastrous withdrawal from the country, the Pentagon on Tuesday denied that any dogs were left behind.
“To correct erroneous reports, the U.S. military did not leave any dogs in cages at Hamid Karzai International Airport, including the reported military working dogs,” Department of Defense (DOD) spokesman John Kirby said in a statement. “Photos circulating online were animals under the care of the Kabul Small Animal Rescue, not dogs under our care.”
Now the Kabul Small Animal Rescue (KSAR), a Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA) International partner, has responded, blaming the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) for the photos circulating online showing dogs in kennels at the airport. KSAR pointed to a recent CDC rabies policy for keeping the dogs from being transported to safety.
“The [CDC’s] recently enacted policy suspending transports of dogs from Afghanistan and more than 100 other nations into the U.S., was another terrible impediment, despite our negotiations and pleadings,” the SPCA said in a press release.
Fox News noted that the CDC in July issued a “temporary suspension of dogs imported from high-risk countries for dog rabies.”
The SPCA also said in its press release that it had “applied for an Emergency Exemption” for KSAR to try and get the dogs “out on our chartered flight this week.”
“But the CDC’s adherence to its import policy during this time of crisis put animals and people at risk,” the nonprofit said. “We are alarmed that leaders at the CDC are not bringing a more balanced perspective to the importation of dogs, especially after the U.S. House of Representatives rebuked CDC on this issue and passed an amendment to restore a proper screening process.”
In response to the SPCA’s press release, CDC Senior Public Affairs Specialist Belsie González gave a statement to Fox, saying “the health and wellbeing of Americans and all other people relocating from Afghanistan to the U.S. is of utmost importance and that means helping these individuals leave the country as quickly and safely as possible.”
“There is a temporary suspension for dogs imported from high-risk countries for dog rabies. Afghanistan has a high risk of dog rabies,” González added. “CDC will not issue permits for shelter or street dogs from Afghanistan to allow these dogs to enter the U.S. CDC will consider permit applications for personal pets with proper documentation and in coordination with the Department of State.”
As Fox reported, more than 40 of the “working dogs,” along with personal pets, belonged to Americans who fled Afghanistan and were not allowed to bring the animals onboard military aircraft. The SPCA could not confirm how many dogs had been left at the airport.
“We are heartbroken that the aircraft we secured to transport the rescued dogs of Kabul Small Animal Rescue out of Afghanistan were not ultimately allowed to take the animals and their caretakers safely out of the country,” said Lori Kalef, SPCA International director of programs. “Our team has been working around the clock and has exhausted every possible option and resource we could in our mission to rescue the dogs before the U.S. military withdrawal from Afghanistan.”
The SPCA also urged the DOD “not to forget the animals of Afghanistan or the people who care for them” and to provide “the most up-to-date information on the released dogs in Hamid Karzai International Airport.”
As The Daily Wire previously reported, the animal rights group American Humane accused the Biden administration of giving a “death sentence” to animals allegedly left behind in Afghanistan, allegations the Pentagon has since denied.